


Piña Coladas

by UnfortunatelyObsessed



Series: A Little Bit More [3]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Actor Dean, Actor Gabriel, Crack, Dr. Sexy - Freeform, Established Relationship, Fluff, Genderfluid Character, HERE WE GOOOOO, M/M, Shenanigans, chemist dean, debriel, everyone is gay because I said so, genderfluid gabe, i'll add more tags as they become relevant, oh yeah, probably some angst in there too let's not kid ourselves, sort of a movie stars au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 07:09:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 60,476
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27199648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnfortunatelyObsessed/pseuds/UnfortunatelyObsessed
Summary: “Are we all packed?”Gabe slammed the trunk of Baby closed. “Should b—“Dean smacked him in the arm. “She is alady!You close hergently.”Gabe stared at him with an ‘are you fucking kidding me’ expression before sticking two fingers under her handle and rubbing them suggestively.Dean shoved him away. “Don’tgropeher!”Gabe laughed and dusted himself off. “Believe me babe, I was doing way more than groping her.” He squinted at Dean. “Are— are youconsolingher?”Dean glanced over from where his cheek was pressed to the trunk. “…No.”
Relationships: Gabriel/Dean Winchester, Jessica Moore/Sam Winchester
Series: A Little Bit More [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1909378
Comments: 221
Kudos: 39
Collections: Demon Void Army - Family Album





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FeaRauko](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeaRauko/gifts), [avengercastiel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/avengercastiel/gifts), [MiaSif](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiaSif/gifts).



> and we are bACK, BAY-BEE!

“Are we all packed?”

Gabe slammed the trunk of Baby closed. “Should b—“

Dean smacked him in the arm. “She is a _lady!_ You close her _gently.”_

Gabe stared at him with an ‘are you fucking kidding me’ expression before sticking two fingers under her handle and rubbing them suggestively.

Dean shoved him away. “Don’t _grope_ her!”

Gabe laughed and dusted himself off. “Believe me babe, I was doing _way_ more than groping her.” He squinted at Dean. “Are— are you _consoling_ her?”

Dean glanced over from where his cheek was pressed to the trunk. “…No.”

“I’m almost offended.” Gabe took out his phone and scrolled through his checklist. “As I was _saying,_ that should be everything. Everything except—“

There was raucous laughter from behind them, and they turned to see Sam and Cas each trying to elbow past the other in the doorway.

“The idiots,” Dean finished, crossing his arms. “We’re gonna be late!” he called out.

Sam finally pushed past Cas and walked to the car. “Relax, man. We’ve still got plenty of time. Didn’t peg you as the kind to _want_ to get on a plane but—“

“I don’t,” Dean snapped back. “But I ain’t got no fucking choice and sitting around waiting for it is making me anxious. Let’s _go.”_

“Touchy touchy,” Sam teased, sliding into the passenger seat.

Dean got in and turned the key, sighing at the engine purring. “I’m gonna miss you,” he whispered.

Sam patted his shoulder. “I’m gonna miss you, too.”

“I was talking to the _car,_ Sam.”

The hand was pulled back slowly.

“Gabe! Cas! Get in!” Dean hollered out the window.

They slid into the back seat and Dean was driving off before they had even buckled their seatbelts, Jess waving Posie’s hand from the window.

“It’s like NASCAR,” Gabe snarked, earning himself a glare from Dean. He laughed. “Why are you so afraid of planes anyway?”

“It’s not _natural,_ Gabriel! What’s keeping them from falling out of the sky, huh? Physics? I _know_ physicists and I wouldn’t trust them with my _drink_ let alone my life!”

“So what’s your stance on rockets then?”

“Better but still sketchy as hell.”

“Better,” Gabe deadpanned. “You’d rather take a _rocket_ to Canada than a plane.”

“Don’t say it like it doesn’t make sense. Airplanes are man’s affront upon the skies and one day the skies will make sure we know that.”

Sam shook his head, grinning. “It’s no use, Gabe. He’s always been like this. Good luck up there.”

Dean scowled. “I’ll be fine.”

“I wasn’t talking to you.” He turned around in his seat to grin at Gabriel. “He hums Metallica. It calms him down.”

Cas hummed something that sounded suspiciously like _Enter, Sandman_ in thought. “Don’t worry Dean. Gabrosie will be upset as well. He hates being away from me.”

Gabe hid his wince. “You’ll be okay though, right? I mean, if I have to run back down here on foot I will.”

Cas held Gabe’s face in his hands. “Go make television history, my Gabriel. I’ll be fine. Besides, I’m rather looking forward to the drive home from the airport with Sam.”

Sam cheered and pounded his hand against the roof. “We’re gonna play show tunes and curse Zeppelin!”

“LIKE _HELL_ YOU ARE!” Dean yelled, face red. “Can’t you people leave my Baby alone for _one_ day?!”

“Absolutely not.”

Gabe pressed his forehead against the window, frowning. “She’s riding a bit rough today, isn’t she?”

Dean scowled. “You take that back.”

“No I just—“ He sat up straight. “Pull over.”

Dean looked between lanes and at every car around them, on high alert. “Why, what’s wrong?”

“Dean _pull the damn car over.”_

He changed to the outside lane and took the next exit, pulling up at a rest stop. He grit his teeth. “We are already behind schedule so this better be damned important.”

“Your tire is loose.”

Dean took a moment to process. “My tire isn’t fucking _loose,_ jackass. I rotated them myself.”

“OH, and you’re above error? Where’s your toolkit?”

“It’s buried under _mountains_ of shit dude! Look, the road was rough, I get why you would think—“

“I was _watching_ your _tires!”_

Sam looked between them. “Alright, how about we just _double-check_ the tires, okay Dean?”

Dean’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. “If we _get out_ and _unload the vehicle_ to get to the _toolkit,_ we are _going_ to be **_late.”_**

Gabe unbuckled his seatbelt. “Fine. No toolkit. Get out and I’ll show you.”

Dean followed suit. “No idea how you’re gonna manage that but sure, let’s waste even _more—“_

Gabe yanked open the driver’s door and pulled Dean in for a furious, unexpected kiss. When he pulled back, they were both slightly out of breath. “Babe,” he breathed out. “I _know_ you’re nervous and anxious and scared, but you’re being a real jackass about it and I need you to calm down.”

Dean clenched and unclenched his jaw, then sighed. “Okay,” he said, standing up slowly and inhaling deep. “Alright. _Please_ show me what you’re talking about.”

Gabe gave him a soft smile before turning his attention to the driver’s side front tire. “It was this one. At least. I couldn’t see the others.” He took a step back from it, did some mental calculations, then gave it a short and forceful kick to the top of the tire.

Dean watched it knock back a little before straightening. He pinched the bridge of his nose tightly. “Oh goddammit,” he grumbled. “Fine. Fuck. You’re right.” He looked over to Gabriel and almost groaned. “You just sprained your ankle, didn’t you.”

Gabe looked like he was biting the inside of his cheek. “No.”

“Gabe.”

“Maybe.” He hissed in air through his teeth. “Jesus fuck,” he gritted out, hopping onto one foot.

Dean cursed softly and picked Gabe up bridal style, sitting him on the roof of the car. “Stay. The first aid kit is by the toolkit. I’ll patch you up first.”

“But we’ll be la—“

“We’re gonna be late anyway, baby. Just don’t move your ankle too much. Call to see if our flight happens to be delayed.” Dean opened the driver door and leaned inside. “I need you two out here. Pronto.” He slammed it closed and set about untying Gabe’s rainbow converse.

Gabe grit his teeth and waited as the call rang through to a phone menu. “Do we want customer service or—“

“Hit zero,” Dean cut in, rolling Gabe’s sock down and his pant leg up. “That usually defaults to an operator.”

There was the sound of two closing doors and suddenly Castiel was beside Dean. “What happened?”

“This idiot here sprained his ankle.”

Cas looked up in disbelief. “You were out here for ten seconds!”

Gabe shrugged, then jumped as someone picked up the phone. “Hello? Yes! I’m calling to check liftoff time for flight 139.”

“Go start unloading the trunk,” Dean said low to Cas. “First aid kit is under all the luggage.”

“That was smart,” Cas responded drily.

“I’m pissed at me too, okay?! Just go help Sam and chew me out later!”

Cas huffed but did as he was told.

“I see,” Gabe said into the phone. “Thank you. Have a great day.”

Dean sighed. “That doesn’t sound promising.”

“Wellllllll,” Gabe began, “it was delayed by thirty minutes. Not much but it helps.”

“We can work with that.” Dean frowned at Gabe’s ankle. “Where does it hurt?”

“Yes.”

Dean pressed gently, trying to locate the offending places. “I’m sorry. For not listening.”

He snorted. “Do you know how many times I’ve not listened to you? Remember how we had to replace the stove because I set the wires on fire?”

“I _told_ you that you can’t turbo-rig a stove!” Dean scowled, then sighed. “Really, though. I mean, you were an absolute idiot for kicking the tire that hard. That’s not on me. But I _am_ sorry for not just believing you.” He looked up into Gabriel’s eyes. “So. Y’know. Sorry.”

Gabe shrugged. “Forgiven. Wait no, I’ll forgive you if you kiss my foot.”

Dean’s lips quirked. “In public? You Jezebel.”

“My _actual_ foot.” Gabe stuck his bottom lip out. “It hurteded.”

“It hurteded,” Dean repeated back equally pathetically. “My poow widdle baby.”

“I need wuvs.”

“Well, I wuv you.” Dean kissed just below Gabriel’s ankle. “I wuv you bunches.”

Sam cleared his throat. “Um. Trunk’s empty.”

Dean’s face was red as he took a hurried step back. “And that was my impersonation of Samantha,” he said, voice lower than strictly necessary.

“Wait!” Gabe called out, still pouting. “My lips hurteded too.”

“Cas can help you,” Dean responded curtly, voice still gravelly as he tried to side-step Sam.

Gabe gave him big puppy eyes. “I thought you were sowwy?”

“I _am_ sowwy! S-sorry, I mean.” He rubbed his hands over his face and turned back to Gabe. “You’re a little shit, you know that?”

Gabe kicked his feet happily. “I know. Gimme kiss.”

Dean’s face was beyond red as he stood on his tippy toes to give Gabe a kiss, much to Sam’s amusement.

Gabe bit Dean’s lip and grinned evilly. “Forgiven,” he announced, booping Dean on the nose.

“Can _I_ have a kiss?” Sam teased.

 _“You_ can kiss my ass!” Dean responded, a very manly blush on his face.

“Hey,” Gabe called out, offended. “That’s _my_ job.”

Sam’s face went blank. “Right. You guys are the worst. Got it.”

Cas rounded the car and deposited the first aid kit into Dean’s arms. “Hold that while I wrap Gabriel’s ankle.”

Dean pursed his lips. “How about _you_ hold it while _I_ wrap Gabriel’s ankle?”

“I’m better at it.”

“Oh, I highly doubt that.”

Gabe rested his chin on his fist. “Y’know, when I talked about guys fighting over me, I didn’t necessarily mean my lover and my brother.”

Cas grabbed the bandage wrap out of the kit and glared Dean down. “You have a _car_ to fix, don’t you?”

Gabe kicked Cas with his good foot. “Hey, attack dog. Lay off. We’re okay.”

Dean shook his head. “No, no. He’s right. I have to fix the car. I can’t… do both.” He pointed at Cas. “Take care of him.”

Cas lowered his hackles some. “Take care of her.”

They nodded at each other and set about their respective tasks.

Sam stood there awkwardly a moment. “Um, guess I’ll— start reloading the trunk, then.” He picked up a bag and lugged it in. “Not to stir the pot or anything, but what’s the plan if we _are_ late?”

“We won’t be late,” three voices chimed out.

———

“I’m afraid you’re late,” the woman at the counter said, sympathy in her eyes. “The flight departed fifteen minutes ago.”

Dean groaned and would’ve turned away, but Gabriel’s arm was hooked around his shoulders.

Gabe, for his part, ran a stressed hand through his hair. “When does the next flight to Toronto leave?”

She tapped some keys and clicked some things, and, “Not for another week, I’m afraid.”

“Fuck,” Dean whispered. “They’ll have already started filming by then.”

Gabe turned back to see Sam and Cas in the waiting area, half their faces covered by the pride masks Gabe had ordered for all of them before he— well, before he _actually_ knew Sam had never been a Samantha. But Sam didn’t seem to mind flying the trans flag on his face, so as far as Gabe was concerned, it was a win. “I… guess we gotta think up a new plan.” He elbowed Dean. “Let’s hobble over there.”

Dean rolled his eyes and picked Gabe up, easily depositing him into the chair beside Castiel. “So,” he told the company before him, “we missed the flight.”

Sam winced. “Is there another flight or—?”

“Not for another week.” Dean sighed and sat down across from them, shaking his head. “They start the final readings tomorrow, and filming the next day.” He punched the arm rest. “Dammit I could _drive_ there if we weren’t an hour from home!”

Cas exchanged a look with Sam. “What does that have to do with anything?”

Dean tossed his phone down and resisted the urge to put his face in his hands. “Look, I can only get out of so many speeding tickets, and the _last_ thing I need is to be denied entry to Canada. You _know_ Sam and I are already on a watchlist. Those extra two hours of taking you two back home so you’re not stuck on an eighteen hour road trip would put us there _after_ final readings start. And that’s a shitty way to make an entrance.”

Gabe was typing furiously on his own phone. “Maybe there’s some connecting flight stuff that might could put us there?”

Sam looked between them. “I mean, it wouldn’t be the first road trip I’ve been on.”

Cas nodded. “I honestly would love to see more of the world, even if just out the window.”

Gabe stopped typing and looked up at them. “I might could find a series of flights to get us there. But if you two are serious, we have to decide like _right now_ what we’re gonna do.”

Cas shrugged. “Fine. Road trip.”

“Road trip,” Sam agreed.

Dean pointed at them. “You two know that means you’ll have to drive Baby back down from Toronto? Wait, do you two even have _passports_ on you?”

Sam rolled his eyes. “You _know_ I always keep my passport on me. Rule eighteen.”

“Valid form of ID available at all times,” Dean recited absently before scowling. “Putting that behind us. Okay. Cas, do you have a passport?”

“Actually yes,” Cas responded, just as surprised as everyone else. “I had intentions of visiting Amsterdam before the virus happened. I never actually took it out of my wallet.”

Dean looked to Gabriel for help, and Gabe shrugged. “I’m always down for a party, babe.”

Dean looked at the ceiling a moment before standing up and clapping. “Then let’s fucking go. Bathroom breaks here, none until the next stop. You can call your people and let them know plans changed in the car. Meet at Baby in seven. Let’s move it!”

———

Dean stared straight forward.

Gabe looked over at him. “So—“

“Do _not._ Do not make this weird.” He zipped his pants back up and went to the sink. “For future reference, we do not _all_ need to use the same bathroom. And leave a goddamn space between.”

“What? You didn’t wanna swordfi—“

“I hate you. I hate all of you. Baby in _three,_ now, you just lost a minute.” He viciously shook his hands to dry them. “And then it’s road trip time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've had SO MANY ideas for this fic bouncing around in my head and finally they got free!


	2. Chapter 2

_Sometimes I feel I’ve got to_

_Run away_

_I’ve got to_

_Get away_

Dean groaned for the hundredth time and would’ve banged his head against the steering wheel if he wasn’t currently, y’know, _steering_ with it. “Sam your taste in music _sucks.”_

“Tainted Love is a classic!”

“It sounds like kids banging on kitchen pots.” He reached back and snatched the phone away from Sam before tossing it to Castiel. “Executive decision: you’re the DJ now.”

“Incredible,” Castiel mused, holding the phone away from Sam’s reaching arms. He placed his palm on Sam’s forehead to keep him at bay as he scrolled through song choices. “And I can play whatever I desire?”

“Knock yourself out. I know you like classic rock so—“

_I wake up in the mornin’_

_Feelin’ like P Diddy_

_Grab my glasses, I’m out the door_

_I’m gonna hit this city_

“Jesus Christ,” Dean grumbled, trying to reach back for the phone again but ultimately failing. Gabriel laughed quietly in the passenger seat, watching the landscape rush by. In lieu of the phone, Dean pointed at Gabe. “You could’ve warned me.”

“Mm,” Gabe remarked absently, linking his fingers through Dean’s phoneless ones. “And where would the fun in that be?”

“You’re horrible.”

“I can be.”

Sam leaned forward and draped his arms over the seat, mildly irritating Dean. “So what’s the big plot twist this season?”

“Classified,” Dean responded grumpily.

“Oh, c’mon! Who are we gonna tell besides each other?”

Dean raised an eyebrow at him in the rearview. “I mean, Jessica and Charlie immediately come to mind.”

Sam groaned and leaned back in his seat. “What’s the use in having a brother who works for your favorite show if he won’t even give you inside info?”

“Tough tits, Sammy.”

“Gabriel,” Cas began, tapping Gabe on the shoulder.

Gabe tore his eyes away from the horizon. “Hmm?”

“Did you pack any of your cameras, by chance?”

“Of course I did.” He rummaged in a bag at his feet. “They’re up here with the fragile items.”

“I would like to take a few photos, if that’s alright.”

“Knock yourself out.” He passed the camera back and turned to examine Dean’s profile. Dean really was… gorgeous. “I didn’t know we weren’t supposed to tell them spoilers.”

Dean side-eyed Gabe. “Well maybe I just don’t want to.”

“Oh my god,” Sam said, offended. “Tell us spoilers!”

Dean rolled his eyes and looked to Gabriel. “See? See what you did? Now they’re not gonna leave us alone.”

Gabe laughed softly. “My character’s name is Reno.”

“That’s pretty cool,” Sam responded. “What about Dean?”

“His character is called Nevada.”

“You’re joking.”

Dean pointed back. “That’s what I said.”

Sam leaned back, grinning. “You two are literally called Reno and Nevada?”

“It’s a theme thing. It’ll make sense later.” Gabe waved his hand absently. “That’s your only spoiler for today.”

Sam boo’d them as Cas snapped another picture. “At what point are we stopping for food?”

Dean glanced at the clock and then at the road signs flashing by. “We’ll find one of those gas stations attached to restaurants and kill two birds with one stone here soon. Sound good?”

Cas gave him a thumbs-up and went back to snapping photos of the landscape. “I’ve never been on a true road trip before,” he remarked absently.

Dean grinned. “Yeah, they’re pretty—“

“I was speaking to Sam.”

Dean pursed his lips and muttered, “Right.”

Gabe looked back, oblivious. “That’s not true. You’ve been on road trips before.”

“I’m not talking about when we moved. I mean an actual road trip.”

“Yeah, I know.” He turned around in his seat, chin propped on the cushion. “You don’t remember?”

“…I believe it’s safe to say I don’t.”

“We used to take you on road trips all the time. Mom loved driving and Dad loved playing road games and seeing the world. Said it inspired him.” He tilted his head. “I guess you _were_ just a little kid, though.”

Castiel’s eyes were wide. “Where did we go?”

“Oh, all over the States. Grand Canyon, Redwood Forest, the Rockies. You really don’t remember?”

“I—… no. I… I don’t.”

Gabe nodded. “Yeah, they pulled you out of public schools after they—“ He cut himself off, biting his tongue. “Well anyway, not too long after you got into schools, Mom and Dad decided to home school you, and by extension, me. But they were never like… textbook people, so we’d go places and they’d teach us about said places and so on. Then Mom got sick, we stopped going places… you know the rest.”

“Ah.” Cas looked down at the camera, then out at the quickly passing trees. “Why did they decide to homeschool us?”

Gabe didn’t say anything for a moment before turning back to face the front. “Oh, y’know. Public schools can be horrible places that can’t properly give students the attention they sometimes need. Sometimes.”

“Ain’t that the goddamn truth,” Dean murmured, putting on his blinker.

“Well, hey, c’mon,” Sam interjected. “We definitely had teachers that cared a lot for us and helped us figure ourselves out.”

“Yeah, Sammy. Teachers. Not the whole system.”

“I— yeah, yeah okay. I see your point.”

Cas toyed with the camera shutter. “I… I think I might sort of remember school. I remember having to take a test, I think? In a room all by myself.”

Dean snapped. “Yeah, I had one of those too. I never got why there was only ever _one_ test we had to take on our own.”

Gabe’s eyes flicked over to Dean. “You… did?”

“Yes?” Dean looked back at Gabe. “…didn’t you?”

“Well _yeah_ but that’s because—“ He held up one finger. “Hold on. Sam. Did _you_ have to take a test all by yourself in a room at a young age?”

Sam was looking at all of them like they were crazy. “Um. I mean, yeah, but it put me in the AP classes. Or whatever they were called back in primary.” He raised an eyebrow. “What did you guys’s do?”

Cas shrugged. “Apparently mine made my parents remove me from public schools.” He looked at Gabriel. “What did _yours_ do?”

Gabe gave him a wry smile. “Gave me my own special seat in the back of the classroom so I wouldn’t disrupt anyone.”

“You are very disruptive,” Cas conceded jokingly.

“Children aren’t that disruptive for no reason, Cassie.” Gabe’s eyes were on the landscape again.

Cas tilted his head to the side. “What was the reason?”

Gabe huffed. “Well, ya see, when you’re seven years old and you already have anxiety and you stare at the papers and can’t absorb _any_ of the information and you feel like your brain is leaking out your ears when the person you’re looking up to says you’re a horrible student, they tell you you have Trouble Sitting Still Disorder.” Gabe punctuated the rant with finger guns, as if to balance out what he had said. “But they don’t send you to make sure so you’re kinda left to flounder for yourself.”

“Oh,” Castiel said, nodding. “I see.” He furrowed his brow. “Why didn’t Mom and Dad take you out of school right when that happened, then?”

Gabe shook his head. “It… wasn’t necessarily their idea to take us out. I may have… talked to them about it.”

“Why?”

“You’re very question-y today, you know that?” He sighed. “Because you weren’t a piece of a puzzle, Cas. You were whole all on your own, and you didn’t need a school that would rather tuck you away from the public eye. You needed to be learning the way _you_ learn, and that was seeing things and doing things. Traditional classrooms never fit either of us.”

“Oh.”

Gabe pressed his forehead to the glass. “So we went on road trips.”

“I didn’t know.”

“Now you do.”

Sam sat back with his arms crossed, processing. “Wait, so Dean, what did—“

“Oh!” Cas announced, pointing out the window. “Up there! A restaurant gas station combo!”

Dean let out a long breath and put on his blinker. “Cool. Sam, get me food. Y’all have until I fill up Baby, use the bathroom, and meet you in there to be ready to go.” He glanced over at Gabe and sighed. “Actually, Sam, get me and Gabe food. Just take my wallet.”

“I’ll get Gabe food,” Cas promised, exiting Baby the moment she pulled in beside a pump. Sam followed him, leaving Gabe and Dean sitting in the idling car.

“What did I do, Gabe,” Dean asked quietly.

“He just gets like that sometimes. Don’t take it personal.” Gabe opened his door and stepped outside, standing on one foot.

“I’m… pretty sure I did something.” He set about pumping the gas, leaning beside Gabe. “He’s been like this ever since we left.”

“Cas is Cas. He’ll come around. Remember how he tried to kill you that one time?”

Dean snorted. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“And Charlie’s remote job going back to in-person probably didn’t help anything, either. Kid’s got stuff he’s working through right now.”

Dean sighed and looked at Gabe. “And how are you?”

Gabe gave his foot a hesitant wiggle. “Better, I think. Maybe it wasn’t a sprain after all. Still don’t feel too good, though.”

Dean wrapped an arm around Gabe and pulled him tight against him, pressing a kiss to his head. “Better is good.”

Gabe snuggled in close. “Hmm, what did I do to deserve all this sweetness?”

“Oh, absolutely nothing. Consider this a loan.”

Gabe laughed. “Oh? How much interest are we talking?”

“A solid three hundred percent.”

“You’re gonna bleed me dry!”

“Shoulda thought about that before accepting the cuddles. It’s your own damn fault.” He leveled a Look at Gabe. “Make better decisions.”

Gabe snorted. “This is highway robbery.”

“It’s actually gas station robbery.” He froze as he saw a couple overhear him and hurriedly drive away. “Probably shouldn’t say that too loud.”

“You just have a knack for getting in trouble.”

Dean smirked. “Isn’t trouble your middle name?”

Gabe licked his lips and pressed his nose to Dean’s neck. “Maybe.”

The gas handle clicked off and Dean put it back in the machine. “Alright, I’ve gotta piss really fucking bad. This is faster.” He swept Gabe off his feet and began walking to the bathroom.

Gabe wiggled around until he could reach in Dean’s back pocket and grab their masks. “Hmm, my boyfriend-husband is carrying me into a gas station bathroom. How much extra time did we have again?”

“About an hour and a half. Why?”

Gabe bit gently at his neck, and Dean almost fumbled him.

“No! We are _not_ fucking in a gas station bathroom!”

“Not even gonna consider it?”

“NO!” He paused at the door and let Gabe open it. “That’s so fucking disgusting. Ohhhh my god. No. Not a chance in Hell.”

“We don’t have to touch the walls!”

“No way. No. No no no. N. O. NO.”

———

Castiel and Sam slid into the back of Baby with four bags of fast food. “Took you two long enough,” Cas grumbled.

Dean was busy sanitizing his hands, arms, elbows, and the back of his neck. “Mmhm.”

Gabe knocked on Cas’s window. “Hey, dork. We’re switching seats.”

“I don’t want to switch seats,” Cas informed him dryly.

“Cassie. I’m injured, and I desperately want to snuggle Sam.”

Cas tensed his jaw before sighing and sliding out of his seat. “Fine. But only for you, and only because you asked nicely.”

Gabe slid into Cas’s seat and then farther, nestling himself against Sam. “I didn’t ask nice, but thanks.” He grinned up at Sam. “Hey, big guy.”

Sam handed him his food. “Hey yourself.” He paused. “Why the fuck are you so warm.”

“I’m literally always warm.”

Dean drove away from the station. “He is. He’s a goddamn heater.”

Sam hesitated a moment, then pulled Gabe tight against him. “I mean, I wasn’t gonna say anything but I’m very cold.”

Gabe nuzzled his face against Sam’s chest contentedly. “What a perfect turn of events. Dean, I’m leaving you for Sam.”

“Understandable,” Dean tossed back.

Sam laughed, popping open his plastic salad container. “I’m flattered, but unfortunately I’m not gay.”

“That’s fine! I don’t even have to be a guy! Right, Dean?”

Dean reached back and made a grabby motion for his food. “She’s right, Sammy,” he said. “But I _do_ seem to remember a weird fascination you had with Edgar Allan Poe.”

“That’s not gay, Dean.”

Everyone else in the car made noises of disagreement.

Sam waved around a plastic forkful of lettuce. “It’s not! He was a fantastic author and poet! Besides, that’s _nothing_ compared to you and Ginsberg.”

Gabe put a hand over his heart as Dean sighed dreamily. “Oh, Allen,” they both said simultaneously.

Dean held his hand back and Gabe high-fived it. “Dude, ‘Many Loves’ was a goddamn sexual awakening,” Dean gushed.

Gabe thunked his head back against Sam’s chest. _“God_ yes. I found that one by chance and copied the whole poem onto my legs because I didn’t have any paper with me.”

“I feel like I’m missing something,” Sam said, looking back and forth between them. “Cas, do _you_ know what they’re talking about?”

“Not entirely. I vaguely remember Gabe going absolutely ah, bonkers, I suppose, for a poem, but I didn’t get the appeal.”

“How does it go?” Sam asked.

Dean hit the roof with his hand and Gabe gasped loudly.

“NEAL CASSADY WAS MY ANIMAL!” Dean yelled loudly, hand still against the roof.

“HE BROUGHT ME TO MY KNEES—” Gabe yelled back, eyes wild and wide and sparkling.

“AND TAUGHT ME THE LOVE OF HIS COCK AND THE SECRETS OF HIS MIND!” they yelled together, causing Sam to push Gabe off of him.

“Okay okay forget I ever asked,” Sam said in a mild panic at the mania before him.

“So gentle the man,” Gabe recited, hands scrabbling forward until they tangled with one of Dean’s. “So sweet the moment, so kind the thighs.”

“I really don’t need you two to—“

“Dowry of mind and angels,” Dean said back to him, hand grasping. “Ass of hero—“ He turned briefly to lock eyes with Gabriel, “Gabriel Shurley.”

“I fucking love you,” Gabe told Dean seriously. “Let’s go back to that gas station bathroom.”

“NOOOO!” Cas and Sam yelled, hands covering their faces as they both scooted as far away from the two as they could.

“God _please_ tell me that was a joke,” Cas groaned.

“What we do in the privacy of a bathroom is none of your concern,” Dean snarked back.

Cas closed his eyes and shook his head. “That’s very pleasant of you, thank you.”

“Oh, are we talking now? Do I finally exist again?”

Cas opened his mouth to snark something back, but a bag landing in his lap silenced him.

“Eat,” Gabriel said. “You hangry bastards.” He wrapped his arms around Sam’s midriff and snuggled close, closing his eyes. “I’m gonna use my sleep magic on Sam.”

“Your what now,” Sam asked, arms out, still with half a salad left.

“Don’t worry about it,” Gabe said, already drifting off.

Sam looked down at him and out at the setting sun. “Wait no, no I don’t _want_ to sleep yet, stop being comfy!” He began shoveling salad into his mouth desperately. “I like seeing the stars!”

“Good luck man,” Dean said. “I’ve never seen Gabe fall asleep against someone and that person not be asleep too within five minutes.”

Sam took a big swig of apple juice. “Dammit why didn’t I get something with caffeine?!” He scowled at Gabe. “Stop being warm!”

Gabe was completely asleep, mumbling something unintelligible.

“Fuck,” Sam grumbled, eyes already feeling heavy. “Why the hell is he so comfy.”

“His hair is soft, too,” Dean said nonchalantly.

Sam pressed his cheek against Gabe’s hair, eyes closing. “It is,” he breathed out.

“Night, Sammy.”

“Night,” Sam whispered before falling completely, entirely asleep, arms around Gabe, face firmly in his hair.

The silence was deafening.

After a while had passed, Dean sighed. “Cas, we should probably—“ he looked over to see Castiel asleep, or at least pretending to be. He shook his head. “Talk,” he finished, grumbling.

He set his sights on the road and tried to ignore the bad feeling in his stomach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey anyone wanna go on a road trip with me?


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> updated early and non-proof-read, enjoy

The stars were out.

Dean never quite ‘star-gazed’ before. He never really wanted to look up and figure out what else there might be, some great beyond. He didn’t quite like having to question himself when he was comfortable where he was.

But the stars knew his name now, so it would be rude to not acknowledge them.

He was driving quiet under their watchful gazes when he heard Castiel say, “Okay.”

The radio was humming barely through static. He’d have to find a new station soon. They had driven out of the radius of the last one, and whatever the hosts were talking about was entirely unintelligible.

“Okay?” Dean repeated, eyes never leaving the road stretched out before them.

“You said you wanted to talk. So let’s talk.”

Dean nodded, and had Castiel bothered looking over, he would’ve seen the slightest glow from the radio dial hitting all the areas of Dean’s face that stuck out to catch it: his nose, his cheek bones, his eyebrows, his chin. “You’re mad at me.” It wasn’t a question, wasn’t much of a way to start a conversation.

“Mad isn’t… quite the right word.”

“Then what is?”

Castiel was staring at the stars now, frowning and mulling over a dictionary in his head.

“Cas,” Dean said into the silence, taking it not for thought but for more avoidance, “we’re friends. Really good friends. Fuck— you’re one of my best friends, man. Tell me what I did. Let me make up for it.”

“You didn’t…” Castiel sighed, leaning his head back against the seat. “You didn’t do anything.”

Dean spread his fingers like he was holding out his hands. “Then what gives, man? Why the snappiness and the— the anger?”

Castiel pursed his lips. “I do love him, you know.”

Dean didn’t ask who. He knew. “I know.”

“And I know you love him, too.”

“I do.”

“And he loves you.”

“He loves you, too.”

“We haven’t been apart,” Cas blurted out, arms crossed defensively, protecting his chest. “We haven’t been apart since— since _ever,_ Dean. We have looked after each other and protected each other for as long as I can remember. For as long as I’ve been _alive.”_

Dean took a deep breath in. “Oh. You’re— you’re scared. Of being without him.”

“I thought I was,” Cas whispered, “but… no. I’m not afraid of being alone.”

“Then I’m not following.”

Castiel looked to the stars again, tried to see past them and couldn’t. “The problem,” he said softly, “with… growing up, as we did, is that it…” He looked back to Gabriel’s sleeping form, pressed against Sam, legs tangled, mouth open. “It shows itself in strange ways.”

“Like nightmares.”

“Yes. Like nightmares.” Castiel memorized Gabriel’s face. “Promise me you will take care of him.”

“Is that what this is about?” Dean couldn’t quite take his eyes off the road long enough to stare into his eyes, to make sure he was believed. “Cas. Man. I will _always_ take care of Gabriel.”

“Promise me.”

“I promise.” He held out his pinky, and Cas linked his own with it. “Besides, I’ve had plenty of practice in dealing with Sam, anyway. He couldn’t sleep alone for _years.”_

Castiel nodded, though it was still tense. “It is… difficult to trust someone else to watch over him. I feel like only I can do it. Like I’m the only one who knows how.”

Dean gave him a wry smile. “I get it. Jessica and I… well, to say we didn’t get along at first would be a vast understatement.” He ran a hand through his own hair. “Cas, I’m not gonna sit here and tell you I’m gonna do perfect. I’m not gonna say I’m not gonna mess up, or miss something, or make him mad, or anything like that. But I can promise you that I love him, and that I will always be on his side. And by his side. No matter what.”

“I appreciate your honesty.”

“I do think you’re half of a load of shit though.”

Castiel’s eyebrows raised. “Excuse me?”

“You said you’re not scared of being without him. I don’t buy that for a _second._ When Sam left for college I was a _wreck._ I didn’t know how to _function_ without him. I still don’t sometimes. Don’t sit there and tell me you’re not scared, Cas. We’re better than that.”

Cas fiddled with the radio dial, looking for a new station but finding only static. “If I don’t admit it, it doesn’t exist.”

Dean couldn’t help his smirk. “Ain’t that a mood.”

Cas looked over at him.

“What? Didn’t I use it right?”

“Yes, but it sounded wrong coming out of your mouth.”

“Hey that’s— I dunno. Age-ist, or something.”

“Aren’t you too old to be learning new tricks?” Cas snarked.

Dean shook his head, trying not to laugh. “Alright tough guy, would it help if you stayed a few days at the set? See with your own eyes that everything’s okay, kind of talk it out with Gabe, et cetera?”

“I can do that?”

Dean shrugged. “Sure. I’d say you could stay with us, but that probably wouldn’t help the ‘trying to get used to being apart’ thing you need. So we can set you up at a hotel or something.” He suddenly winced. “But Sam’s gotta be back with Jess and Posie, so you’ll have to drive back home.”

“I can take a few days,” came groggily from the back seat.

Dean scowled in the rearview mirror. “You’re supposed to be asleep.”

“Mmm,” Sam hummed, adjusting so he was laying more on Gabe than Gabe was on him. “I’m stealing him.”

“Him who? Gabe?”

Sam nodded sleepily and was out just as quick as he had woken up.

Castiel couldn’t help his small laugh. “Looks like you have competition.”

“Competition my ass,” Dean muttered, glaring daggers at the back seat.

Castiel pulled out one of Gabriel’s cameras and snapped a quick photo of them. “If Awake Sam agrees, I will stay a few days.” He side-eyed Dean. “Not because I’m afraid. Because I’m… anxious.”

“Sure.”

“And I’m not going to apologize for being an ass.”

Dean grinned. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Good.” Castiel looked to the back seat again. “So what did your test do?”

“Hm?”

“I cut you off earlier. When we were talking about Gabriel’s ADHD and my autism and Sam’s innate brilliance. Where do you fall on the ‘society considers me a problem’ spectrum?”

Dean barked out a laugh. “I mean, I’m at the damn top of it. I didn’t know—“

“Dean I swear to God if you say ‘I didn’t know you knew you were autistic’ I _will_ bitch-slap you out of this car.” Cas gave him a pointed glare. “I _do_ have access to the internet, you know.”

“I was _gonna_ say I didn’t know you cut me off on purpose, asshat.” He shoved Castiel away lightly. “I’m all kinds of screwed up in the head, man. You name a problem, I’ve probably got it.”

“Erectile dysfunction.”

“You know, I used to not peg you and Gabriel for brothers but I really do see it now.”

Castiel laughed loud enough that Sam grumbled in his sleep and pressed his nose into Gabriel’s collar. “Dean. Your test. Spill.”

Dean groaned. “They uh. They wanted to bump me up a year.”

“What?”

“I did… good. They wanted me to skip a year.”

“Did you?”

“Of course not, man.”

“Why not?”

Dean tapped his thumbs against the steering wheel. “Y’know. Because it was third grade.”

“I’m not following.”

“I’m four years older than Sam. Kindergarten was… scary for him.”

Cas’s face was blank. “Please do note I never went to public school.”

“Oh, right. You’re in four year groups, usually. So when Sammy was in kindergarten, I was in third grade. And that was in the same physical school building. So if I had skipped a grade, y’know…” Dean frowned, “Sammy would’ve been all alone. And I… just didn’t want that.”

“Huh.” Cas leaned back and crossed his arms. “Aren’t children supposed to be selfish?”

“That’s a pretty luxurious thought, man. I couldn’t be.”

“Do you ever let yourself be selfish?”

“Sure. Sometimes I eat all the cookies without telling Gabe I made any.”

Cas snorted. “I mean really selfish, Dean. Doing something for yourself, and just for yourself. Also known as ‘self help’.”

Dean’s eyes took in Gabriel in the rearview, jaw slack, hair tangled. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ve done things I wanted.”

“…Please don’t be looking at my brother.”

Dean shoved him away again, chuckling. “Not like _that_ you dork.” He winked. “Though I did that, too.”

“Disgusting.” Castiel suddenly turned fully towards Dean. “Does he push you against the wall when you sleep?”

Dean’s face was blank. “You’re gonna need to be more specific on what kind of ‘sleeping’ you mean.”

“Actual sleeping. Dear God, don’t ever give me that mental image again. I still taste your tongue in my nightmares, Winchester.”

“I apologized so many times!”

“You did not! You said ‘Fuck!’ over and over again until I closed the door!”

“Same thing!” Dean shook his head. “ANYWAY. Yes, he fucking _sleep-herds_ me either to the wall or to the edge of the bed.”

Castiel stuck his hands out. “Yes! He has done that for _years!”_

“It’s so frustrating to wake up and immediately fall out of bed! Or be unable to even _get_ out!” Dean snapped his fingers. “Has he always sleep-talked?”

“Yes. Always. We used to use him as a magic 8 ball when I was little. In fact—“ Cas turned and looked at Gabe. “O Gabriel, should Dean properly apologize for kissing me?”

Gabe mumbled something that sounded a lot like, “No,” and Cas rolled his eyes.

“Two to one, Cas. I’m in the right.”

“Who goes straight for the tongue, huh? Who thinks they’re going in for the kiss of a lifetime and goes, Hmm, better start this off with some good old-fashioned choking.”

“I’m a good kisser!” Dean shot back, offended. “You’re just—“ he struggled for a good insult, “straight!”

“How dare you.”

“I said what I said.”

“Some of us don’t _like_ choking on someone’s tongue without proper _preparation.”_

“You prepare _asses,_ Cas. You don’t prepare mouths.”

“I meant _mentally,_ Winchester. You caught me off-guard. I was attacked in my own home.”

“I don’t know what to do about that! I’d usually say ‘I’ll keep that in mind for next time’ but I really _don’t_ plan on kissing you again.”

“Wow. You know, I am slightly offended by that.”

Dean looked over and saw Cas’s smirk. “Oh, you ass.”

“No, really. Was I not a good kisser, Dean?”

“No, no, I know of at least—“ he pretended to count on his fingers, _“three_ people who are better at choking on a tongue than you.”

Cas muffled his laugh. “Heresy!”

“I speak the truth. Hey, do we still have fries?”

“Horrid, limp cold ones? Yes.”

Dean weighed the options in his mind. “Feed me one.”

“You’re pathetic.” Cas fed Dean a fry, and Dean scrunched his nose up at the taste.

“These are awful.”

“What did you expect?!”

“Not that.” He glanced down at the dash. “We need gas anyway. Snack-potty-gas run?”

“I could go for some snack-potty-gas.”

“Wake up Romeo and Juliet back there.”

Cas looked back, and Dean missed the absolutely evil smirk that crossed his face. “Gabriel,” he called out.

Gabriel mumbled something back in his sleep.

“Kiss him.”

Dean almost swerved off the road. “HEY, DON’T—“

There was a very muffled _MMPH!_ as both Sam and Gabriel opened their eyes to find their lips pressed solidly together.

Gabe tried to push back, but he wasn’t on top like he had been earlier, and only managed to push Sam into the floorboards.

“Ah, fuck!” Sam exclaimed, rubbing his head. “The fuck just happened?”

Gabe licked his lips, still wildly confused. “Um. I’m irresistible?”

“Goddammit,” Sam groaned, hands over his face.

“We’re stopping soon,” Castiel said cheerfully, grinning at them both. “If we are all done smooching each other, it is time to find shoes and masks. The exit should be just ahead.”

“I mean, Sam, I’m not done if you’re not,” Gabe said, hands out placatingly.

Sam glared at him, just a moment, before dissolving into laughter, resting his forehead on Gabe’s knee. “Yeah, alright. I’ll kiss you goodbye when we leave.”

“NO YOU WILL NOT!” Dean yelled at them, reaching back to try and smack anyone he could reach.

“I’ll hold you to that,” Gabe responded, winking.

“Dean, you missed the exit.”

“WE’LL TAKE THE NEXT ONE.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> proofreading? never heard of her

“Let me drive.”

“No.”

“Dean, you _can’t_ show up to a script reading sleepy. We both know how you get.”

Dean pursed his lips, hands tightening on the steering wheel. “Yeah? How do I get?”

“Well, like this, for one,” Gabe snarked back, crossing his arms. “You get snippy. And then, if you _still_ don’t get any sleep, you get really— well, high, is how I’d put it. Kinda silly.”

“I don’t get silly.”

“You absolutely do.” Gabe put his hand on the steering wheel, and Dean smacked it away. “Let me drive, Byron.”

“No.”

Gabe glanced in the back seat and lowered his voice. “Dean, let me drive before you hit the sub-division between angry and silly.”

“Which is?”

Gabe held his hands up. “You know. I’ll just let you figure that one out.”

“Mm,” Dean hummed absently. “How’s your ankle?”

“It’s fine now. Thankfully. Don’t need you to carry me bridal-style into bathrooms anymore,” he teased.

Dean stifled a yawn. “Damn.”

“What? You like carrying me around?”

Dean shrugged, avoiding Gabe’s gaze. “Y’know. Maybe a little.”

“What a romantic,” Gabe said slyly, unbuckling his seatbelt.

“Hey, hey! Buckle up!” Dean attempted to reach across to grab the seatbelt, and Gabe skillfully evaded him, sidling up to Dean.

“Hey cowboy,” he purred.

Dean looked anxiously in the rearview mirror, Cas asleep on Sam’s shoulder, and Sam asleep on Castiel. “We aren’t alone,” Dean reminded Gabe under his breath.

“Isn’t that half the fun?”

 _“No,”_ Dean said, leaning away. “Besides, I’m trying to focus.”

“Would be easier to focus if you just let me drive for a bit while you nap.”

Dean sighed, ignoring Gabe’s breath on his neck. “Look, I appreciate how loving and soft and—“ he yawned, “and wonderful you are.” Dean blinked heavily. “I had a point. I was going somewhere with that.”

“And there we are,” Gabe whispered, kissing Dean’s cheek gently. “Baby, you’re tired. Why not let me drive, huh?”

“I gotta provide for you,” Dean mumbled, wiping harshly at his eyes in an effort to stay awake. “I want you to nap and have a good night.”

“I’m done napping. I would like to drive now.” Gabe held Dean’s cheek softly, fingers relaxing into hair. “How about we pull over and switch out? It would make me happy.”

Dean glanced over at Gabe. “It… would?”

“Mmhm,” Gabe hummed, pressing his lips to Dean’s neck. “It would make me very happy. Don’t you want that?”

Dean stifled another yawn. “Course I do. I want you to always be happy.”

Gabe smiled, wide and uninhibited. “You sap. I knew you were tired.”

Dean rolled his eyes, leaned his head gently against Gabe’s. “You sure you wanna drive? Can you handle her?”

“I think I’ll be okay, babe.”

Dean grunted some response and pulled Baby over slowly to the side of the road. “I’m gonna stay awake in case you need me,” he informed Gabriel, putting it in park.

“Sure,” Gabe said, not believing him for a second. He climbed into Dean’s lap, then smirked. “Whoops. Better slide to the passenger side if ya know what’s good for ya.”

Dean closed his eyes a moment, reality swimming. “You’re good for me.”

“Jesus Christ, _go to sleep.”_ Gabe pushed Dean to the other side of the Impala, buckling himself into the driver’s seat. “You get so sappy.”

“Just ‘cause I love ya is all,” Dean slurred, leaning back against the window and half-heartedly buckling himself up. “You look real pretty tonight.”

Gabe rolled his eyes, biting back a smile as he pulled back onto the road. “Seriously, you need to sleep before you start laughing about molecular construction again.”

Dean chuckled to himself, some joke he had tried to explain countless times that Gabriel just did not understand. “Can’t help it. How am I supposed to sleep when I got the most handsome man in the world drivin’ my car?”

“I promise it’s easy.”

“But I wanna tell you how pretty you are. Did you know you’re pretty?”

Gabe bit back a laugh. “You may have told me one or ten times tonight, yes.”

“Good. ‘Cause you’re pretty.”

He couldn’t hold the laugh back anymore, trying to remain quiet enough that he didn’t wake Sam and Cas. “Get some shut-eye, babe. I’ll still be pretty in the morning.”

“I love you.”

“Yeah, yeah. I love you too.”

Gabe could still feel Dean’s eyes on him, and he tried not to squirm under the attention.

“What?” Gabe asked. “Why are you still looking at me?”

Dean smiled softly, finally closing his eyes. “Nothin’. Just imaginin’ forever with you.”

“That is _too much_ fluff for one night, buster. We need a breather between such soft things.”

“I’m excited to start a new chapter with you,” Dean whispered, already half-asleep.

“The universe really made you and put all your sap three minutes before every time you fall asleep, huh?”

Dean half-laughed, head falling to the side as he fell asleep, smile still on his face.

“Dammit he’s cute,” Gabe whispered under his breath before turning his attention back to the road.

Everyone was asleep, and it was just Gabriel and the long road stretched out before them.

“What does forever with me look like, Dean?” Gabe asked the sleeping form softly and got, as he expected, a soft snore for an answer.

———

Dean woke up to a breakfast burrito being tossed into his lap.

He groaned, pressing his face into the leather seat a moment longer before blinking blearily at the daylight.

“Mornin’ pancake,” Gabriel said in amusement. “You alright?”

Dean rubbed his hands over his face. “Uh. Yeah. I’m fine.”

Gabe swallowed his grin. “Dreaming about me?”

“Why would I ever dream about you.”

“Mmm,” Gabe hummed, looking pointedly at Dean’s lap. “Nice little situation you’ve got going on there.”

Dean looked down at his lap and groaned in annoyance, picking up the duffel at his feet and using it to hide himself. “I don’t have time to deal with that.”

“I do, if you wanna—“

“No, you’re the reason I’m _in_ this mess,” Dean accused, scowling.

“Called it. No blaming real-me for dream-me’s actions.” Gabe leaned in and grinned salaciously. “Was dream-me being a ho again?”

“When is he ever anything else.”

“You’ve got your characterization down pat, my friend,” Gabe said approvingly, turning the engine back on.

Dean sighed and opened the burrito, hell-bent on ignoring— well, himself. “How far out are we?”

“About four more hours. I got extra food for when Sleepy and Dopey back there wake up.”

“And you know Sam is—“

“Vegetarian, yeah yeah, I got it. Calm your tits.” Gabe pulled out of the gas station parking lot and back onto the road.

Dean took a tentative bite of his burrito. “Do we need to go over lines again?” he asked around his food.

Gabe rolled his eyes. “Byron we have been going over lines for _months._ It’s just a reading. We’ll be fine.”

“You aren’t… nervous?”

Gabe sank down in his seat. “Well, I didn’t say _that.”_

“What if we suck,” Dean asked quietly.

“Then that’s on them for hiring us,” Gabe responded matter-of-factly. “Don’t let your social anxiety get in the way of this being fun.”

Dean scrunched up his nose. “I don’t have—“ he cut himself off with a look from Gabe. “…Fine.”

“Besides, I don’t think our consorts are as asleep as they’re pretending to be.”

Dean spun around to see Sam quickly closing his eyes. “Ah for fuck’s— _Samantha!”_

Sam groaned and opened his eyes, careful not to rouse Cas. “C’mon! Just _one_ line!”

Gabe glanced in the rearview. “Cassie, I see you playing possum too.”

Cas sighed and sat up as well. “Would one line really be so bad?”

Dean sighed heavily, rummaging around the duffel until he pulled out a binder. “Y’know what? Fine. Pick a page.”

Sam and Cas exchanged glances. “Um. How many pages are there?” Cas asked.

“Thousand and eighteen.”

“Holy shit man,” Sam said, rubbing at his neck. “Cas, if we choose a late page—“

“Then we could figure out the ending,” Cas finished for him, eyes wide. “Page nine hundred and twenty-eight.”

“Pick a line.”

Sam shrugged, obviously at a loss. “Um. Four?”

Dean _tsk_ ed. “Gabe, that’s you. Episode nineteen, scene four.”

Gabe waved his hand absently. “Lead me in. Then they can get one line each.”

“That’s cheating.” Still, Dean leaned forward slightly, trying to get into character. _“But you can,”_ he said, voice just barely rougher than normal.

Gabe’s eyes lit up in recognition for half a moment, before sliding into something more desperate. _“I’m not leaving you. Ever.”_

Sam threw his hands up as Castiel remained frozen in thought.

“Oh my god, is it a _romance?!”_ Sam asked, elated.

“Is it a _marriage?!”_ Castiel said, eyes wide and sparkling.

“No comprendo,” Gabriel informed them both.

“My heart literally just grew three sizes,” Sam gushed.

“I have to update my fan fiction,” Cas mumbled absently.

“Hey hey! No spilling,” Dean told them both. “This stays in this car.”

“Well good thing I have my drafts on my phone then.”

Dean looked back to Castiel, something mischievous in his eyes. “You know…” he began, “if you wait a while, I bet you could get Anthony to share some insider secrets.”

Cas’s thumbs paused on his keyboard. “You don’t mean—“

“Oh, I do. Anthony Douglas. The doctor himself.”

Cas looked around before leaning in to whisper, “You think he’d give me behind the scenes information?”

Dean grinned. “He’s a friendly guy. He’d probably do anything if you asked nice enough.”

Castiel eyed him suspiciously. “And you will introduce me?”

“I mean, I only know him through work. It’s not like we’re friends or anything. But sure?”

Cas nodded, as if that suited him perfectly. “Very well. The Archive will have to wait, then.”

“Speaking of the show,” Gabe said nonchalantly, “we are cutting it ridiculously close. Like. Connecting-flights-within-ten-minutes-of-each-other close.”

“What are you saying? We’re gonna have to run to rehearsal?”

Gabe glanced at the time. “That is exactly what I’m saying.”

Dean puffed out his cheeks and let the air go. “I’ll message James. Have him keep us updated in case they’re running late.” He began drafting his text, glancing at Cas and Sam. “And you two will have to find somewhere to stay.”

Sam raised an eyebrow. “We’re staying?”

“Yeah. At least, Cas is. You said you were but you were also asleep so.”

Sam leaned back and raised an eyebrow at Cas. “How long?”

“I was thinking a week or so,” Cas responded. “If you can’t, I understand.”

Sam nodded to himself. “Yeah, okay. I’ll make sure it’s okay with Jess first, but she and Posie should be off with her family by now so I doubt it’ll be an issue.”

“James said everything is still on schedule right now. We gotta hustle,” Dean mumbled, and Gabriel pressed the gas just a little bit harder.

———

He pulled into the parking lot fast enough that Dean was scared for his life.

Gabe threw her into park and was unbuckled before Dean could even process that they had stopped moving. “How long?” he asked Dean, face barely lit by the almost-set sun.

“Two minutes,” Dean responded, quickly getting with the program. He was out the door and had scooped a startled Gabe into his arms before Castiel had found either of his shoes. “You two keep her safe!” he threw back over his shoulder, taking off at a sprint.

Gabe was holding on for dear life, trying not to laugh as hard as he wanted to. “Dean!” he yelled over the cold wind. “My ankle is fine! You can put me down!”

“Not risking it!” he responded, feet pounding against pavement. “I’ve been here _once_ before and I barely remember where anything is!”

Gabe suddenly pointed left. “I see lights!”

Dean veered sharply towards a small building with double doors and Gabe stuck his hands out to push them open. They burst through them together, into a room with one large table and a myriad of actors and writers sitting around it, all eyes lifted to them.

Dean’s chest was heaving. He swallowed nervously, eyes finally landing on Anthony, who was holding a script.

 _“Doctor,”_ Dean said breathlessly, perfectly in time.

Anthony’s lips quirked into a smile. _“Doctor,”_ he returned.

There was silence.

Finally, one of the producers laughed, head in his hands. “Dammit Winchester, you sure know how to make an entrance.” He clapped his hands together once. “One more time, from the top.”

Gabe looked up to Dean, and Dean looked down at Gabe. “You can put me down now,” Gabe whispered.

“I’m not sure I can,” Dean whispered back, eyes betraying his panic.

“I’ll be right here,” Gabe promised, and Dean hesitantly set him down in his chair.

 _“Doctor Sexy,”_ the girl who played Nurse Jasmine said, _“they’ve sent us a new doctor. But I know he won’t be as good as you.”_

Gabe squeezed Dean’s hand under the table, and Dean squeezed back. It was good. This was good. They had made it.

When Dean looked up, Anthony was looking back at him with open curiosity. _“We shall see,”_ Doctor Sexy drawled.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my wifi is actually down on today of all days so if y'all wanna send some good vibes my way that would be ~much appreciated~

Dean was beautiful.

Like, obviously he was _physically_ beautiful, but there was something about seeing him deep in his element that was truly sending Gabriel to Canaan.

Gabe shook his head and turned his attention back to what was happening: namely, Dean was tapping his pen against his script, crossing out bits and rewriting them, explaining out loud what he was doing and why certain things didn’t make sense.

One of the show runners — Bryan, Gabe had learned — had met eyes with James, and they were both trying not to laugh.

Dean was chewing on his pen as he frowned at the script. “I can hear you two laughing at me,” he grumbled, marking out another line.

“Not at you, dude,” James promised, grinning openly. “I just won a bet.”

Dean glanced up at him and raised one eyebrow in question.

Bryan begrudgingly tossed James a twenty dollar bill. “We had a bet going over how long until you switched right back into writing mode. Mine was for tomorrow.”

Dean grinned around his pen. “Well if I had known I was winning James money, I would’ve held off.”

James tucked the bill into his shirt pocket. “Nice to see you, too, asshole.” He stuck his tongue out at Dean and laughed. “And your husband. Tell me Gabe, how do you _deal_ with this one?”

Gabe looked to Dean. “Who, him? I give him a snack when he’s nice.”

James chuckled. “Can _I_ have a snack? I’ll be nice.”

Dean hid his grin by looking down, and Gabe covered his own mouth with his hand. “Y’know— James, right? That was a very good pick-up line, but I think I’m spoken for.”

James furrowed his brow even as there were a few laughs around the table.

Dean cleared his throat and leaned over to whisper to James, “Wrong kind of snack, dude.”

James groaned and leaned away from them. “Ah, fuck, no. I wanted like. A Scooby snack.”

Gabe laughed, reaching into his pockets. “I think I actually do have like, half a bag of chips around here somewhere. Ah!” He tossed the bag to James, who easily caught it.

“Hell yeah, pocket food!” James cheered. “Anyway. Dean, I had a lot of the same rewrites marked on my copy. Abby, what about you?”

“I _didn’t_ have the ones about Reno’s background, but I _did_ have one here about his wardrobe.”

Gabe’s ears perked up. “Ooo, my wardrobe? Do tell.”

Abby looked up at him. “Well, I think we’ve all seen every episode of EMCQ. It’s pretty well-known that your fashion style tends to be… alternative? Would you say that’s a fair assessment?”

“Alternative,” Gabe mulled the word over in his teeth. “That’s a really fun way to say ‘no rhyme or reason’, so sure. _Alternative.”_

She almost smiled. Almost. “Right. So generally, the script doesn’t provide fashion direction unless it’s directly related to the character or scene. But I’m thinking, for the staff party in episode eight, Reno needs to be in either a sparkly tux or a matte black dress. Something that sort of straddles the gender stereotype line.”

Gabe’s eyes were shining with excitement. “Oh, oh I think I love you.”

Abby bit back another almost-smile. “Reign in your partner, cowboy,” she told Dean.

Dean shrugged, attention fully on the script. “He doesn’t get out much,” he said casually.

Gabe put his hands out in mock shock. “Have you _seen_ the outside world? No thanks.” He peeked over at Dean’s marked-up script. “Are we just throwing suggestions out?”

Bryan nodded. “This is a safe space, so go for it. We’ll do a few of these over the course of filming, change things as characters evolve, et cetera.”

Gabe nodded and flipped through his own script. “Okay. Here. Episode four, when Doctor Sexy sees Reno outside of work for the first time. In the alley.” He poked at the words. “I’m thinking I should be in makeup.”

Anthony smirked. “And then throw a little kiss my way, yes?”

Dean was already writing both things into his own script. “Yeah, I like that,” he murmured.

“Me, too,” Gabe agreed, turning to Anthony. “You could round the corner to see me, and I turn around with all smokey eyes and deep red lipstick. You’re speechless, I walk out of the alley and blow a kiss your way before disappearing into the night.”

Anthony snapped his fingers. “Yes! That also provides a perfect excuse for me to not notice the other man in the alley, because I’d be infatuated with you.” Anthony grabbed Dean’s pen out of his fingers and made a note on his script before giving it back.

Dean barely noticed. “Yeah, yeah that fixes that issue. Just make Reno pretty.”

“He’s already pretty,” Abby deadpanned, casting a glance Gabe’s way.

Gabe held a hand to his chest. “Why, thank you, Miss Abby. I’ll treasure that compliment.”

She threw finger guns his way as a form of response.

Bryan hummed to himself. “Well then, at this point, do we go ahead and make Reno gender-neutral? He certainly seems to be leaning that way.”

Another actor — Tabry — was nodding. “We could always use some extra rep in the show.”

Abby shrugged. “I’m down.”

James paused in shoveling chips into his mouth. “I think that’s a Gabriel decision.”

All eyes turned to Gabriel.

Gabe paled. “Hey now, don’t leave this all up to me.”

Dean propped his head on his hand. “C’mon baby. You’ve been inside Reno’s head for _months_ now.”

Gabe groaned, leaning back to look at the ceiling. “I mean, yes, he is. Gender neutral. But also like… no.”

“Thanks, that helps,” James snarked.

Gabe rolled his eyes. “Reno, as a person, doesn’t care about gender. In fact, he really enjoys pushing the envelope of expression. But _as an undercover drug lord,_ that’s too much… attention. Y’know. People notice anyone who falls outside their preconceived notions of what someone should be. So, if I’m here, thinking as Reno—“ Gabe closed his eyes and frowned. “I don’t care about gender, so I don’t care if I present as strongly masculine at the hospital, because it attracts the least amount of attention.”

Bryan nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, that’s a very good point. Reno _is_ undercover.” He tapped his chin in thought. “So then, and I mean no offense, do we make him gender neutral at all? I don’t want to JKR this whole thing. If we make him gender neutral, it would have to be clear and textual. And I’m not sure if we have enough non-undercover text to do it justice.”

Gabe looked to Bryan. “It would take _literally_ one word to make it textual. The outfits won’t do it alone, though. It will _have_ to be spoken aloud.” He chewed on his bottom lip. “But I see what you mean. They deserve more than one word. It needs to be stated a few times in a way that can’t be argued.”

Tabry tapped their fingers on the table. “I’m with Gabriel here. If we make it textual, it has to be _full_ textual. Not something that’s offhandedly mentioned.”

Bryan tented his fingers against his lips. “Then what are the two of you thinking?”

Gabriel looked to Tabry, and Tabry looked back. “She?” Tabry suggested.

Gabe nodded back at them. “She,” he confirmed.

James looked back and forth between them. “And for those of us who unfortunately weren’t raised deep in the LGBT community and have zero idea what you two are getting at…?”

Gabriel let out a bark of unexpected laughter, shoulders shaking with mirth. “Oh, oh fuck. ‘Deep in the LGBT community.’ That got me.” He wiped the tears from his eyes, still chuckling slightly. “We’re saying the first bit of textuality is gonna have to be someone referring to Reno as ‘she’.”

“So, Nevada? Since he’d be the only one who actually knows Reno?”

Dean waved his hand. “Nah, that seems too cover-blow-y. Someone else.”

Anthony hummed in thought. “What if it was me? By entire accident, but Reno lets it stand uncorrected, because it doesn’t need correcting?”

Dean was nodding to himself, frantically scribbling. “Yeah, yeah, that could work. And then there’s speculation over whether Reno just forgot he was _supposed_ to correct Doctor Sexy or if this is Reno opening up to him.”

Tabry snapped their fingers. “Yes! And there’s the _added_ question of, if Reno really _is_ opening up to him, if it’s on purpose or if it’s a ploy to get him to trust Reno more.”

James spread his hands on the table. “So. We are still referring to Reno as he, then? When discussing him?”

Gabe nodded. “Yes, because he/she/they don’t care.”

James leaned back. “Alright, cool. Learn something new every day.”

Bryan clapped. “Then it’s settled! Reno will be a canonically gender-neutral character.”

Tabry met Gabriel’s eyes and smiled wide at him. “You look a bit shocked, Gabriel.”

“I mean. Just. Just like that, huh? It’s just… that easy?”

They shrugged. “I mean, we have to run all changes by the execs before they’re official, but they’re always on the lookout for extra rep. It’s really boosted ratings these past few seasons. It’s what people want.”

Gabriel let out an incredulous noise, eyes still with visible confusion. “I just. Huh.” He finally shrugged, as if letting it go. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

Tabry smiled even wider. “Yeah. That’s how I felt when they made Nurse Caden canonically non-binary.”

Dean elbowed Gabe. “It’s how I felt when they made Doctor Sexy canonically bi.”

Bryan’s eyes were sparkling as he held out his hands. “Welcome to Doctor Sexy, Gabriel.”

———

Gabriel was practically bouncing on his toes as they finally exited the room late that night.

Dean smirked at him. “You seem happy.”

Gabe grabbed his cheeks and smushed his face. “I’m going to be playing a _gender neutral_ character! People are going to have a _gender neutral_ icon! This is fucking _amazing!”_

Dean pulled his face away, laughing. “See? I told you you’d like this show.”

“I am— I am _so_ peopled out right now but _god_ I am excited too.” Gabriel grabbed Dean’s hand. “I need to sleep but I don’t know if I _can.”_

Dean pulled him close as they walked. “I can wear you out, don’t worry,” he teased lightly. “If I remember properly, trailers are this way.”

“Trailers?”

“Yeah. For living in.”

Gabe side-eyed him. “Do we… _share_ a trailer?”

Dean returned the glance. “We can.”

“Can others hear what we do?”

“Well, if they were _smart_ they would’ve put our trailers away from everyone else. So I’d say that’s not our problem.”

“I like that,” Gabe mumbled, leaning in to kiss Dean, one hand in his hair.

Dean growled and bit Gabe’s bottom lip gently, pulling him closer by his hips. His tongue snaked into Gabe’s mouth and he groaned low.

When they pulled back, they were both breathing hard. Gabe kissed to Dean’s ear, voice low. “How’s about you and I—“

“Dean! Gabriel!” a voice called out excitedly.

They both groaned and turned to see who had called for them. Anthony was jogging up, a wide smile on his face.

“Hey guys! Lucky I caught you. Trailers are the other way.” He stopped in his tracks a few feet away. “I— I interrupted you two, didn’t I?”

“Only a little,” Dean responded, slowly removing his hands from Gabe. “Thanks for the heads-up.”

Anthony winced. “Sorry. I’ll uh. I’ll let you two—“ He motioned vaguely with his hands.

Gabriel laughed, shaking his head. “We weren’t gonna fuck on the concrete, dude. We can walk back together.”

Anthony squinted. “You… sure?”

“Yeah. Lead the way.”

They headed back the other direction, Anthony with his hands stuck deep in his pockets. “Sorry. Again. I know I’m fanboying but—“

 _“What?!”_ Dean spewed out before realizing his mouth had even moved. _“You?!_ Are fanboying over _us?!”_

Anthony gave him a shy grin. “Yeah. I sort of. Obsessively watched your show.”

Gabe glanced at Dean. “You okay, babe? You look like you’re about to pass out.”

“I might,” Dean managed. “I just. You’re fans of _us?”_

“Yeah! Just, the openness and honesty of your show. It was refreshing to watch. I’m a huge fan.”

Gabe snorted. “You think _you’re_ a huge fan? Dean here has a fucking _altar_ built to— _mmph!”_

Dean tightened his hand over Gabe’s mouth, laughing nervously. “That’s really nice, Anthony. Really. We appreciate it.”

“Kept me entertained through off-season,” he admitted. “I was really excited to work with you two this season. You seem extremely cool.”

Gabe licked Dean’s hand in an attempt to free himself, but to no avail.

“I can promise you we’re not cool,” Dean said, laughing and thanking the night for hiding his blush. “But uh. Right back atcha.”

 _“Mmph mm, mmph mm mmn,”_ Gabe sassed.

Dean rolled his eyes and turned his face to Gabe’s, smirking. “You gonna behave yourself?” he mumbled.

Gabe’s eyes widened minutely and it took him a second to process before he nodded.

Dean took in everything and raised an eyebrow before releasing Gabe. “Alright. But I’m watching you.”

Gabriel cleared his throat awkwardly and wiped a hand over his mouth. “What else is new?” he grumbled. “Anyway. Anthony. I wish I could say I’ve been a long-time fan like Deano over here, but I just started watching a few months ago. It _is_ quite an amazing show, though. Especially after season eight. That’s when it started getting _actually_ diverse.”

Anthony looked pointedly at Dean, smiling. “Yeah, there’s a reason for that.”

“Oh?” Gabe turned to Dean as well. “What, did you tie their arms behind their backs or something?”

“Yes and no.” Dean grinned, hiding his face. “So, I started working here season seven. You know that. When season eight hit, I had enough confidence to make suggestions, and they had enough trust in me to let me. I kept pushing and pushing every season until everyone was just _used_ to diversity. It’s something we actively try to do now.”

Gabe looked up to the night sky, laughing slightly. “And here I was, thinking you couldn’t get any more attractive.”

“Right?” Anthony agreed, entirely missing the way Dean’s face went from slightly-pink to beet-red. “Besides, straight white men get really boring really quickly. Dean saved the show.”

“Well, I don’t know about _that—“_

“I do,” Anthony promised, shouldering Dean slightly. “Crazy to think we originally just hired you for fact-checking, huh? And now you’re the reason we’re still going strong.”

Dean wasn’t sure he was capable of actual words, so he didn’t say anything.

Gabe was doing his _absolute best_ not to laugh. “And now he’s bringing in a whole new crowd, huh?”

“Oh yeah,” Anthony agreed. “Both of you, really. You made a serious arrival on the web series scene, and the execs fully expect your audience to follow you over here.”

Gabe grinned. “And how do they figure that?”

“Facebook?” Anthony tried, leaning forward to better see Gabe.

“People talk about us on Facebook?” Gabe asked back, genuinely surprised.

“Well, yeah? In the gr—“ Anthony cut himself off, pausing in his steps momentarily. “Ah. Nevermind. I meant the comment section on YouTube. Yes. That’s it.”

“Well that wasn’t suspi—“

“Oh, would you look at that! There are our trailers! Gabe, you’re my neighbor, and Dean’s is beside that.”

Dean finally managed to rope himself back in. “So then we’ll be staying in my trailer, cool.”

“Oh,” Anthony said, deflated. “You don’t… wanna be neighbors?”

“It’s not that!” Dean held his hands out entreatingly. “It’s just— we’re kinda— we tend to— We’re… loud?”

Anthony furrowed his brow.

“Plus,” Gabe threw in, side-stepping Dean to throw an arm around Anthony’s shoulders, “Dean has a bad habit of kissing his neighbors.”

“That’s not— so do you!” Dean sputtered.

Understanding registered on Anthony’s face. “Ahhh. I gotcha. Married people doing married things.” He looped his arm around Gabriel, returning the gesture. “I understand. Though, sometime you two will have to have me over and show me photos from the ceremony.”

Gabe looked down to the hand on his waist, then back up to Anthony. “Um. Ah. I. Sure?”

Anthony beamed at him. “Great! I’ll see you two bright and early tomorrow, then! If you need anything, you know where I live.” His hand slid off of Gabe’s waist and he waved goodbye to them before disappearing into his trailer.

Their hands stayed stuck in waving position for a minute after he was gone.

“We—“ Gabe’s voice cracked, and he cleared his throat. “We’re gonna go squeal about that inside, aren’t we?”

“Mmhm.”

“He’s so warm,” Gabe whispered pathetically.

“We’re not gonna make it through this season with _that_ around, are we,” Dean managed to croak out.

Gabe looked to him with wide eyes, just to see Dean doing the same. “It was nice knowin’ ya.”

Dean let out a long breath and they walked to their trailer, stopping just outside. “Wait,” Dean said. “Did you tell him we had _wedding photos?”_

“I don’t know what I told him! He had his _arm around me,_ Winchester! I’m weak!”

Dean groaned and unlocked the door.

———

**_[Jerk] 12:37am_ ** _hey, need you to find a wedding dress that would fit Gabe_

**_[Bitch] 12:38am_ ** _no :)_


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is early bc these past few days have seemed to last five hundred years

Gabriel woke up first. For some goddamn reason. Of all the mornings to lose sleep over some bastardization of an internal alarm clock, this was the worst one.

He cracked open one eye and was immediately greeted with Dean’s cheek. He humphed and leaned his head back enough to get a grasp of the room.

They were both in the bed. Twin, by the way. A twin sized bed. With two grown-ass men sleeping on it. He was practically on top of Dean, arm thrown over him, chest to chest. His face had been firmly pressed against Dean’s, their legs tangled.

“You glorious bastard,” Gabe murmured, kissing his cheek softly. Dean merely mumbled in his sleep and unconsciously sought out his warmth again. Gabe pressed his face back against Dean’s neck and closed his eyes, smiling at the sigh of content Dean let out. Gabe held him tighter.

He kind of wanted to… stay like this. Or wake up like this every morning forever. He toyed with the idea of somehow ‘accidentally’ cutting Dean’s bed in half so they’d be forced to cuddle this close every night. He was mostly through plotting out how to get the mattress to a table saw when Dean finally stirred.

“Good morning, handsome,” Gabe muttered, lifting his head to watch Dean’s sleepy eyes open, all green and gorgeous.

“Your breath smells like hell,” Dean grumbled back, closing his eyes again. “What time is it?”

“No idea.” He kissed Dean’s collarbone, then his jaw. “Time to admit time doesn’t exist and stay here forever.”

Dean smiled, cracking one eye open. “Not getting all mushy on me, are ya?”

Gabe gave his hips a thoughtful wiggle. “Y’know what? For once, I think I am.”

Dean laughed at that, the sound rough from sleep. “Dunno if I should be relieved or offended.”

“I’d flip a coin but that would mean getting up.”

“That’s a good point.” Dean let out a soft sigh, wrapping his arms tightly around Gabe. “Don’t go anywhere. You’re warm.”

“Wow, I can’t believe I’m being used like this.”

“My own personal heater.” Dean kissed his nose.

“…well _maybe_ I’ll stay, then. If you’re gonna be all sweet like this. But just know you gotta pay my dentist bills.”

“‘Course, Gabey. I’m simpin’ for ya,” Dean teased lightly, wiggling his shoulders suggestively.

“We’re simping for each _other.”_

“It’s a simp-iotic relationship.”

“That was so bad.” Gabe hid his face in Dean’s chest. “Is it at least mutualism? Do we both benefit?”

“Well, let’s see. One of us gets to have the most amazing, beautiful boyfriend in the entire world, and the other one is me.”

“Yeah.” Gabe kissed Dean’s chest gently. “You got me there. You are pretty damn amazing. But as far as anyone knows you’re my _husband,_ so watch your words.”

“Mmm, my husband. My forever-friend. My permanent sleepover.”

Something ached inside of Gabriel and he pushed it away, half-laughing against Dean’s bare skin. “Permanent sleepover, huh? Never gonna get sick of me?”

“Only sick you’re gonna give me is heatstroke, Rosie.” He pressed his cheek to Gabe’s hair. “Kick the blankets off of us. I’m burning up now.”

“I would, but I think your legs are on top.”

Dean attempted to kick one foot. “This is a two person job, I think.”

Gabe reached back and just threw the blankets off with his hand. “And you’re supposed to be the smart one,” he teased lightly.

“I mean—“ Dean craned his neck up, “I have a really good view of your ass so I’d say I’m pretty smart.”

“Mmm. Smartass, maybe.”

“That’s what I just said.”

The alarm went off and they both groaned, holding each other close.

“What if we… just _didn’t_ get out of bed?” Gabe suggested.

“Bad way to start a new job.” Dean said, making no move to get up.

“I mean, we don’t even have clean clothes,” Gabe joked, before realizing the truth of his statement and sitting straight up in bed. “We don’t have clean clothes. Sam and Cas took the car.”

“She has a _name,”_ Dean grumbled, trying to pull Gabe back down. “We can just call them.”

“Then _call them._ I don’t want to show up all gross for my first day.”

“There’s wardrobe. You don’t wear your own clothes anyway.”

Gabe begrudgingly let himself be pulled back down. “I will run to the nearest flea market and find a dress if I have to.”

Dean smiled at him and kissed his cheeks, then his lips. “I mean, I’m always down for that.”

Gabe looked off to the side, blushing. “Why you being so sweet, huh? What bad thing did you do?”

“Depends. Are you a bad thing?”

“Can be.” Gabe pressed his face against Dean’s chest and sighed. “Go ahead and call them, I guess.”

He felt Dean move to grab his phone and closed his eyes, listening to Dean’s heartbeat. It was soft and steady, and for half a second Gabe forgot the world existed. He just laid there, in the warmth and the sounds of Dean Byron Winchester.

“O, my Byron,” he breathed low against Dean’s chest, too low for him to hear, “you are the sunrise.”

Dean’s thumb ran lightly across Gabe’s shoulder blades, and he had a very sincere thought that maybe _this_ was what forever looked like.

“Sam ain’t answering,” Dean scowled.

“Try Cas,” Gabe mumbled back.

Gabe pressed soft kisses to Dean’s chest as Dean waited for the line to ring through. Dean traced the tattoo down Gabe’s back without even looking at it, having long since memorized it.

Gabe looked at Dean’s face, a stray beam of light falling across it from the slightly-too-short curtains. He reached out and followed it with his fingertips, across jawline and nose.

Dean scrunched up his nose and laughed softly, the sound echoing in his chest. He canted his jaw up and kissed Gabe’s fingers. “Cas ain’t answering, either.”

“Flea market it is then, I guess,” Gabe responded, rubbing at Dean’s stubble.

Dean closed his eyes and smiled a moment before glancing down at Gabe, one eyebrow raised. “Or. Or. We just wear our yesterday clothes and use our time for something else.”

“I refuse to be in yesterday clothes.” Still, Gabe tilted his head. “What something else were you thinking?”

Dean turned his head until his lips were pressed against Gabe’s palm and kissed it reverently before taking his fingers into his mouth.

Gabe sucked in a breath and bit at Dean’s collarbone in protest. “Hey now, I have _clothes_ to find, and I can’t go out in public if you get me all riled up.”

Dean let Gabe’s fingers pop out of his mouth. “Hmm, so I get you riled up, you stay here longer, and we fuck? I mean, I’m not really seeing the downside here, Rosie.”

“Just for that, whatever clothes I pick out for you are going to be awful.” Gabe finally disentangled himself, knees on either side of Dean’s hips, forearms bracketing his shoulders.

Dean smiled wide up at him, eyes sparkling. “Bold of you to assume I’d look awful in anything.”

Gabe made a thinking noise. “Yeah, alright. You got me there.” He leaned down and pressed a kiss to Dean’s lips, softer than he really meant for it to be.

“Love you,” Dean said against Gabe’s mouth.

“Love you, too,” Gabe returned in the same way.

Dean smacked him in the ass. “Now go find us clothes. I saw a coffee maker in the cabinet when we got here, so I’m gonna enjoy some peace and quiet.”

Gabe gave him one more kiss before hopping off the bed and grabbing his yesterday clothes, crinkling his nose. “For the record, I hate this,” he grumbled as he put them on.

“For the record,” Dean imitated him, stopping in his journey to the cabinet to kiss Gabe’s cheek, “I love you.”

“You already said that,” Gabe informed him, hiding his smile.

“Can’t say it enough.”

“Yeah well…” Gabe struggled for a good comeback, “You’re cute so. Nyeh.”

Dean actually snorted, covering his mouth. “Oh, uh-huh. I’m hurt. Go find us clothes, Miss Priss.”

Gabe pulled up a map on his phone and grabbed a mask. “See ya soon.”

———

Gabe was almost off the set when he heard a loud, “GABE! DUDE! WAIT UP!”

He paused in his jogging to look back. James was waving his arms wildly, running up to him.

He got to Gabe and they both started jogging, James not even out of breath. “Hey man,” James said, grinning.

“Hey,” Gabe responded. “You just running around?”

James shrugged. “Getting in some morning exercise. Running off a bit of this excess energy. What about you?”

“I’m jogging to a flea market to find Dean and me clothes, since our brothers drove off with the car and everything we had packed.”

“That sounds like an adventure. Mind if I tag along?”

“Aren’t you already?” Gabe shot a grin his way. “Be my guest.”

James grinned back at him. “I’m excited to finally get to know you. Dean’s been my best buddy on this show for _years._ Dude. The stories I’ve heard about you.”

“Oh?” Gabe raised his eyebrows. “What stories?”

“Oh, he wanted all of us to think he hated you. But we knew better. We used to have like, writing get-togethers with everyone that wrote for the show, and that’s where we’d brainstorm most of our ideas.”

“Hold on,” Gabe interrupted him. “You’re a writer _and_ actor too?”

“What, you think Dean’s the only one?” James elbowed him. “I started out as an actor and eventually weaseled my way into the writing room. Anyway. We moved around a lot, and anytime we were near him, he’d show up _super_ pissed off and ranting about some random thing you did.”

“Sounds about right.”

“I had always sort of _assumed_ you two were dating, but then you started the show and I realized, doi, you’re _married.”_

Gabe bit his tongue. “Mmhm.”

“So like, how did you two meet?”

And fuck, they did not have a backstory. “Um. Has Dean not already told you about that?”

“No, man. He kept you so hidden from us.” James rubbed the back of his neck. “I don’t— I don’t know what we did to make him think he wasn’t safe telling us he had a husband. I’d _like_ to know. So I know what I need to fix.”

Gabe chewed on his bottom lip. “You know, in… situations like these, it’s not always that you did something wrong. Sometimes people just don’t wanna talk about it. Or were raised in a way that makes them feel like they can’t.”

James’s eyes were big as he looked at Gabe. “So you don’t think it was us?”

And Jesus _Christ_ this boy had puppy dog eyes to rival Sam Winchester. “No. I don’t think it was you.” He cleared his throat and looked away. “I think it had more to do with both of us being kinda famous.”

James nodded to himself. “Yeah, yeah I suppose that makes sense.” He shouldered Gabe. “Regardless, I’m glad he’s comfy enough now to barge into the writing room carrying you. That was sweet.”

Gabriel laughed. “Uh-huh. He just thinks I run too slow.”

“Do you?”

“Of course not.”

James looked at him with mischievous eyes. “Wanna race?”

Gabe side-eyed him. “What are the stakes?”

“If I win, you gotta tell me how you and Dean met.”

“Hmm, alright. But if _I_ win, I get to choose an outfit for you.”

James laughed. “Oh, Mr. Alternative Fashion himself? Deal.”

Gabe immediately took off at a full run.

“Hey!” James called out. “That’s cheating!”

“Can’t hear you over the sound of me winning!”

———

By the time Gabe swung back into the trailer, Dean had drank an entire pot of coffee.

“Hey,” Dean said, smiling wide up at him.

“Hey babe.” Gabe kissed his forehead and tossed a bag at him. “I’m gonna shower.”

“Good. You’re all sweaty.”

“Yeah well, James raced me.” He stripped down and tossed his own bag somewhere Dean couldn’t see, hopping into the small shower.

About five seconds passed before Gabe heard Dean say, “Dude, you handed me the wrong bag.”

“I don’t think I did.” Gabe rinsed his hair, grinning.

“…You better have.”

“No, I picked that out especially for you.”

The shower door swung open and Dean stepped inside, the space immediately feeling cramped. “You better be playing with me,” he snapped, poking a finger at Gabe’s chest.

“I thought it would look cute on you,” Gabe pouted.

“I am not wearing a _dress_ to the first day of filming!”

“Shows what you know. That was a skirt.”

“That’s not better. Trade with me.”

“Now see, I _do_ have a dress. So.” He grinned at Dean’s scowl. “C’mon! It’s the punkest skirt in the world! And did you even see the authentic Zeppelin tour tee? Babe. That is a dream shirt for you and you know it.”

Dean’s face lost a bit of the anger in it. “I… did not see the shirt.”

“Mmhm. I could tell. Besides, what was it you told me? We have a wardrobe department anyway. It’ll be fine.” Gabe shrugged nonchalantly, pouring some of the little bottle of body wash into his hands. “You don’t have any good reason not to wear a skirt, regardless.”

Dean groaned and stepped back out, closing the door behind him. “You’re nothing but trouble, you know that?”

“Yeah,” Gabe responded, grinning. “I know.”

By the time Gabe got out of the shower, Dean was already dressed, looking at himself in the mirror.

“Yeah, you’re a snack,” Gabe told him, making him jump.

He rolled his eyes dramatically and crossed his arms. “Whatever. It’s only for a while, anyway. Get dressed so we can go.”

“Pushy,” Gabe teased, grabbing his own bag.

Dean pulled out his phone and texted Sam and Cas, telling both of them to get their asses and their shit here as soon as possible.

“Okay, ready, let’s go,” Gabe said, brushing past Dean towards the door.

Dean froze. “OH, _COME ON!”_

Gabe turned around, his suit unbuttoned down to the bottom of his chest, the jacket hanging open, and the very-much-so pants falling perfectly on his shoes. “What?”

“You’re an asshole. We’re trading.”

“No time!” Gabe ducked out of the trailer and out of the reach of Dean’s arms. “We’re gonna be late!”

“You’re getting it tonight. I _mean it.”_

Gabe turned to look Dean up and down unashamedly. “God, I sure hope so.”

“I’m not playing. Start thinking of a safe word.”

Gabe choked on air, steps faltering for a moment.

Thankfully, he was saved by James coming up. “Dean! Look! We’re twinsies!” He grinned wide and spun. “I feel free.”

“I feel like there are breezes where breezes shouldn’t be,” Dean grumbled. He suddenly glared at James. “This was your idea, wasn’t it.”

James shrugged one shoulder, then the other. “I dunno,” he sang out. “Was it _your_ idea to fill my typewriter with jello?”

Dean looked down at his own legs and sighed. “I still don’t regret it.”

“Then I guess I’m not thinking big enough.” James grabbed his arm and pulled at him. “We’re gonna be late. Let’s get a move on.”

Dean rolled his eyes and let himself be pulled along. “You’re both in trouble. Just different kinds.”

Gabe wiggled his eyebrows. “You? Looking like that? Saying I’m in trouble? It does things to me babe.”

James nodded enthusiastically. “It does things to me too, and I’m straight.”

Dean actually laughed at that, the tension easing out of his shoulders. “I should’ve known better than to let you two meet. You’re both disasters waiting to happen.”

“Excuse you,” James sassed, “I have been a disaster since the day I was _born._ I have not waited for _anything.”_

“Mm,” Dean hummed in response. “What about you, Gabe? What’s your excuse?”

“Hmm. I thiiiiink,” Gabe leaned in and kissed his shoulder, “you were my catalyst.”

“Gross. Disgustingly sweet. Zero out of ten.”

James leaned forward to look at Gabe. “Hey, if Dean were to, oh I dunno, _mysteriously disappear_ or something, you’d be down to replace him as my work husband, right?”

Gabe winked at him. “I’d be down to be your anything husband.”

James grinned back. “Cool. Hey Dean, completely unrelated, but I need to show you a super secret back alley in the middle of nowhere.”

Dean groaned and rubbed his hands over his face. “What the fuck have I gotten myself into.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was so much fun to write omg

_Dr. Antonio Sexy looked around the hospital wing. It was quiet, but far from empty. Every closed room had someone in it, someone waiting for him: Dr. Sexy, MD._

_“Doctor Sexy!” a voice rang out. He turned, hair flowing with the movement. Surgeon James was running up to him, out of breath but like… in a hot way. “Doctor! The new hires will be here soon.”_

_“Good,” Antonio said, voice low and rough but still somehow smooth, like a rich coffee on a winter morning. “We’ll need all the help we can get to deal with this.”_

_“I’m here for you,” James said, taking a step closer, putting himself in Dr. Sexy’s orbit. “You know I’m…_ **_always_ ** _here for you. However you’ll have me.”_

_Antonio turned his head away sharply, dramatically, face betraying a sort of soft, sexy agony. “I’m still not sure about my feelings, James. I am a lover, but first and foremost, I am a doctor.”_

_“And that is why I will always love you,” James whispered, one hand going to touch Antonio’s chest. Antonio grabbed it and held it away._

_“Please. I need time.”_

_“Look around you! How much time could we possibly have left?!” James tried to meet his eyes, but couldn’t. The luxurious locks kept Dr. Sexy’s eyes hidden._

_“We will make it through this first. And then we can discuss… us.”_

_James yanked his hand away. “That’s if there’s still an_ **_us_ ** _to speak of.”_

_“James—“_

_“It is_ **_Doctor_ ** _James to you.” James looked beyond Antonio’s shoulder. “Oh, look. The fresh meat.”_

_Dr. Sexy turned to follow his gaze, only to see two very striking, very handsome men—_

_tripping on a stray cord._

“Cut!” Bryan yelled out.

Gabe picked himself up as Dean hid his face in his hands.

“Oh god,” Dean groaned.

James and Anthony were both trying their very hardest not to laugh, even as they held their hands out.

“What is it with you two and entrances?” James asked, pulling Dean to his feet.

“Just leave me down here to die, thanks,” Gabe deadpanned. Anthony chuckled and easily picked Gabe up anyway.

“It’s okay,” Anthony promised. “My first day on set I broke a camera.”

“Was it with your cutting jawline or—?” Gabe snarked.

“I leaned on it. I have no excuse.”

“My first day went perfect,” James said, dodging a smack from Dean.

“Liar,” Anthony retorted. “Your first day on set you got your days mixed up and tried to kiss me in the middle of the operation scene.”

“Like I said, perfect,” James said back, winking at Gabe.

“Let’s try that entrance again!” Bryan yelled out, and they all returned to their respective places.

_“Blah blah blah, fresh meat,” James snarked._

_Dr. Sexy turned to follow his gaze, only to see two very striking, very handsome men entering through the double doors, taking wide steps to avoid anything that might just so happen to be on the floor._

_They came to a halt before Antonio, both looking up to him, but at different angles._

_“Doctor,” the taller one said, a small little smirk on his lips._

_Dr. Sexy’s eyes traced that smirk before looking up into startling green. “I take it you’re Nevada?”_

_“Lucky guess.” They shook hands, firmly, maybe a bit longer than they really needed to. Nevada’s hands were rough and well-shapen, the kind of hand Antonio could imagine all over him. He let go before he thought about that too hard._

_“And that makes you Reno.” Antonio took Reno’s hand in his own, searching eyes that betrayed absolutely nothing but wry amusement. They were deep, dark, surreal, sensual. “Those are unique names.”_

_“Pure coincidence,” Reno promised, something about his expression implying it was not, in fact, coincidence. He let his hand slide slowly away, leaving Antonio’s fingertips tingling. “We met outside. Now, you know our names. I’m afraid we didn’t catch yours.”_

_“Dr. Antonio Sexy. And this is—“_

_“James,” James interrupted, holding his hand out to Reno, eyes locked. “James Locke. Head surgeon.”_

_The way Reno took his hand was lingering and warm. Their gazes did not waver. “It’s nice to meet you. I hear you have a bit of a situation on your hands.”_

_“We do,” Dr. Sexy said, sighing and looking to the hallway. “We’re at capacity and understaffed.”_

_Nevada, at least, had the wherewithal to look at least morbidly surprised. “What’s happened?”_

_Antonio’s eyes lingered on the rooms. “There’s something going on. Out on the streets, I mean. We haven’t been able to identify it in anything but traces, but… it seems there’s a new, lethal drug on the market. Something very under-the-table. No one has heard anything about it, but people keep coming in to die by the droves.”_

_Reno and Nevada looked at each other, silently communicating. As their attention was elsewhere, Antonio examined them both. Both well-built, handsome men, twenty-something, with immaculate scrubs and perfect hair. He dared a glance at James, who was also, it seemed, admiring their newest recruits._

_This was going to become a very complicated situation very quickly, he could already tell._

_“Doctor Sexy,” Nevada drawled out. The way he said his name sent goosebumps down Antonio’s arms. “We are both… well-trained. Put us wherever you need us.”_

_And oh, Antonio could think of a few places._

_Nevada must have caught the thought in his eyes, because he smirked and finished, “In the hospital, that is.”_

_James looked briefly to the supply closet. “Reno, you’re with me,” he said, turning back to the group. “We’re going to make our rounds and check vitals. I trust you’ve already been briefed.”_

_“Of course,” Reno said, and everything about his mouth was captivating. “After you, doctor.”_

_They took off, Reno following a few steps behind, that ever-present, almost-smirk still on his lips._

_“Well,” Antonio said, “that leaves you with me.”_

_Nevada licked his lips absently. “Yes. I suppose it does.” Nevada took a step closer, tilting his head slightly to study Antonio. “And where do you want me?”_

_The question hung off of plush lips, and Antonio had to turn away, closing his eyes. “There are still a few more doctors and nurses on staff. We will make sure they have everything they need. It will function as your tour.”_

_“I would love to see—“ Nevada looked Dr. Sexy up and down, “_ ** _all_ ** _of the hospital.”_

_Antonio inhaled sharply and turned away again, taking off down a hallway._

_Nevada followed him, but not before looking around and taking note of each and every security camera._

“And that’s a wrap!” Bryan called out. “Break!”

The set filled with the gentle murmuring of the few people actually there. James was already tackle-hugging Dean by the time he had even registered they weren’t filming anymore. “Dude! That was so fantastic!”

Dean laughed nervously, wrapping one arm around him. “Thanks. I think I was shaking the entire time.”

“You couldn’t tell _at all._ I mean it.” James pulled back to smush Dean’s cheeks, grinning. “My rising star!”

“You can’t forget _Gabe!”_ Anthony said, pulling Gabe towards them with equal enthusiasm. “That little smirk! Pure talent, I say!”

Dean and Gabe caught each other’s eyes, both blushing and smiling.

“You did great, babe,” Gabe said softly.

“You, too,” Dean responded.

“AWWWWW!” James all but yelled. “Now _kiss.”_ He pushed their faces together, sending both of them laughing.

“This is gonna be a good season,” Anthony said, eyes sparkling. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to grab a sandwich from the table before _somebody_ eats them all again.”

“Once! It was _one time!”_ James followed after him, offended.

Dean linked his hand with Gabe’s and shrugged, face still red. “I guess we’re… officially on _Dr. Sexy,_ huh?”

“Yeah. Wow.” Gabe leaned against him, shoulder to shoulder. “I just. This is sort of insane, right? Like, you and me? Actors on a major show?”

“Really insane.” Dean looked out across the cast and crew mingling. “Like. Main characters this season.”

“All because somebody couldn’t keep their music down.”

Dean grinned at him. “You love me. You know it.”

“That is true. I do.” Gabe glanced around them and lowered his voice. “We have to come up with a backstory, by the way. James asked me how we met earlier and I didn’t have an answer.”

“We’ll talk over it tonight,” Dean promised. “As close to the truth as possible.”

“Agreed.” He watched Anthony and James fight over a sandwich. “I already kind of hate lying to them.”

“It’s more omission than anything. But… yeah.” Dean kissed Gabe’s hair. “We’ll tell them someday. Just. Not yet.”

“Holy shit he really is eating all the sandwiches.”

“That’s James for ya. If you want one, you better go now.”

“Fuck,” Gabe cursed, before running off, shouting, “Hey! Leave some for me!”

———

By the time Gabe and Dean made it back to their trailer, there was a slick black car parked outside with two dorky men leaning against it on their phones.

“Heya Samantha!” Dean called out, grinning.

Sam grunted some response, typing something into his phone.

“Hey Cassie!” Gabe tried.

Cas waved a single pinky.

Gabe and Dean exchanged a look. “Alright,” Gabe said, leaning beside Cas, “what’s so important?”

“We’re almost done,” Cas said distractedly. “Sam, are we voting blue or…?”

“Which blue?”

“You _know_ light blue is called cyan.” Cas’s thumbs hovered over the screen. “Or did you mean that dick yellow who named themself blue?”

Gabe raised his eyebrows. “I know my little brother did not just call someone a dick. I’m gonna need to hear that again. That’s new.”

“Yeah well, yellow is making it hard on us on purpose,” Cas grumbled. “Sam, I vote yellow as imposter. Mostly because I hate them now.”

Dean looked over to Sam’s phone. “So is this like… space Clue?”

“I—“ Sam thought about it. “Uh, yeah, actually. Except the killer can still actively murder people, and there are two of them.”

“So you and Cas are trying to figure out who it is?”

“Hmm? Oh, no. No, Cas and I are the killers.” Sam voted yellow and waited for the last few votes to straggle in. “We’re trying to pin it on someone else.”

Gabe and Dean both watched as a yellow little… _thing_ floated across the screen and Cas and Sam high-fived. “That’s another win!” Sam announced, closing out the application as the congratulation screen splashed across it. “Anyway. How was filming? And script? And can we go inside it is cold as _fuck_ out here.”

“Yeah, come on in,” Dean laughed, unlocking the trailer.

“And nice skirt.”

“Yeah, you can thank Gabe for that.” Dean flicked on the lights and they all piled into the warm trailer. “You brought our stuff, right?”

“Duh.” Sam laid out on the couch, groaning. “We spent all day walking around.”

“It was very pleasant,” Cas added, sitting down by Sam’s head. Sam scooched up until he could lay his head in Cas’s lap and close his eyes.

“It was exhausting,” Sam countered. “I’ve really slacked on running since Posie was born, and I didn’t realize just how out of shape I had gotten.”

“How is my favorite niece?” Dean asked, busying himself with making hot cocoa.

“Oh, she’s doing fine. Her grandparents are coddling her to death, though. She’s gonna be spoiled by the time Jess manages to wrestle her away from them.”

Gabe plopped down opposite them. “So what you’re saying is, Dean and them would get along perfectly.”

“Basically.”

Dean shrugged. “What can I say? It’s my job.”

“Speaking of jobs,” Cas prompted, gently detangling Sam’s hair, “how were your two first days?”

Gabe grinned at them. “I think we made an impression _both_ days.”

“Is that so?”

“Mmhm. Byron over here decided the best entrance for script reading was to burst in, carrying me bridal-style, and deliver his line perfectly in time.”

Sam’s eyes shot open and a disbelieving smile began crawling onto his face. “I’m sorry, did you just call him _Byron?”_

Dean pointed the spoon he was stirring cocoa mix into the hot milk with. “Shut it, Samantha.”

“No. _No._ He really— He really calls you _Byron?!”_ Sam laughed hard, clapping his hands.“Oh. Oh my god. I knew you called him Rosie but I never put two and two together.”

“You know what? You don’t get cocoa.”

Sam finally calmed in his giggles. “Sorry. It’s cute. Sometimes I forget you can do cute.”

Dean rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Just take your damn hot chocolate.”

Sam sat up and accepted the drink, as did Castiel and Gabe.

“So, what was your grand entrance today?” Sam finally asked, warming his hands with the mug.

Gabe cracked a smile and looked down at his own drink. “Ah. We both tripped coming in.”

“On camera?”

“On camera.”

Castiel hid his giggles by sipping at his drink. “Are there any more firsts coming up? Perhaps we should walk you two through how to enter a room like normal people.”

Dean sighed and briefly checked his calendar. “I mean, a few. We have a press release soon, then I know me and James have a late night interview, and I think Bryan is still trying to get Gabe to be a guest judge on some TV show.”

“Sounds exhausting.”

“I’ve always been busy, but now it’s like… _limelight_ busy. Weird to be back in it for something good.”

Sam kicked at his leg gently. “It’s a good thing. You’re kind of rebranding yourself.”

Dean nodded to himself, then held his mug out. “To the new Winchesters.”

Sam tinked it. “To the new Winchesters.”

Before either of them could pull away, Gabe had pressed his own mug to theirs. “I _am_ your husband, you know,” he half-teased at Dean.

Dean tried to ignore the gentle heat coloring his own cheeks. “Yeah. I know.” He looked away quickly, clearing his throat. “Cas, get in here.”

“Oh, am I a Winchester now, too?” he asked, clinking his mug to theirs. “Someone should have informed me. I’ll need to change my name officially.”

“To us,” Gabe offered, addressing them all.

“To us,” they all echoed.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey I just wrote out a big long thing about abandoning this fic bc I realized that Supernatural was never going to give us anything even close to what indie podcasts do in a single episode with queer rep (plz go listen to the Penumbra Podcast I beg of you it actually helped my mental health, the queer rep is ASTOUNDING) and I have moved on from Supernatural because of it
> 
> but then I realized I'm the fucking author and I'm going balls to the walls guys, gender doesn't exist anymore and everyone is gay because I said so and I'm in charge, strap on your boots bc shit's about to get hella queer and I'm not even fucking sorry, this isn't Supernatural anymore okay this is Crack's World

“Gabriel Shurley!” the person walking up to him cooed. Gabe gave his best impression of a smile. It was far, _far_ too early for anyone to be chipper. Who scheduled costume design this goddamn early anyway?

“You must be Arissa,” he managed, wishing for some coffee.

“Yes! Arissa Dame. I’ve been put in charge of you, darling,” she said, holding out a hand.

He shook it firmly. “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise. Come along, this will likely take all day.”

Gabe almost choked on his tongue. “All day?”

“Well, yes. While you are _already_ a very pretty lady, teasing out your feminine side might prove to be more of a challenge.” She turned, flipping her hair as she went, and Gabe followed shortly behind her.

“My feminine side? What, is the three o’clock shadow not your cup of tea?” he joked.

“That can very well stay, though I was ah, _suggested_ to take a more traditionally feminine route.”

“Sounds kinda misogynistic.”

“Believe me, I do not intend to offend your ladylike sensibilities. Nor my own.” She glanced back at him, raising one perfectly-shaped eyebrow. “I was told that you specifically wanted to make the genderfluid aspect of Reno _extremely_ obvious. If you want to do this where straight white conservatives cannot argue that Reno is simply playing _dress up,_ I’d suggest we make you look as feminine as possible.”

Gabe swallowed harshly, glancing away. “Okay. Yeah, alright. I see your point.” He rubbed absently at his stubble. “This stuff grows back lightning quick though. I literally shaved before filming yesterday and it’s already back.”

“Well, obviously. Because you _shaved_ it.” She paused at a door and flung it open for them, reveling in the bright lights and the mirrors and the clothes lining almost every wall. “We’re going to _wax_ it.”

Gabe paled. “Is it… too late to escape?”

“Quite.”

He glanced back through the door before sighing in defeat and closing it behind them. “And… the waxing will make me baby-faced?”

“More or less.” Arissa clapped her hands together and smiled wide at him. “You can feel _my_ face if you’d like. It’s what I do.”

Gabe held out one hand and made a grabby motion. “Yeah. Gimme.” He ran his hands across Arissa’s cheeks, finally making an impressed noise. “Yeah, okay. If it gets me _that_ smooth, I can deal with a little pain.”

She snorted and motioned for Gabe to sit down in a chair. “Yes, _believe me._ My beard always grows in black and unruly. It’s just _easier_ to wax it.”

He watched her movements with no small deal of apprehension. “Don’t they have like… lasers for that or something? They can make it so you just… don’t grow hair there.”

“Sure, but sometimes I like the beard look. Beard and eyeliner is a solid combination.”

He averted his eyes from where she was warming up wax. “Are you gonna do my makeup too?”

“I’m going to do your _everything,_ darling.” She rolled her eyes at how he glanced nervously at his own crotch. “Well, maybe not your _everything.”_

Gabe looked around, taking the room in. “We’re not taping me back?”

“I mean, we _can,_ but it’s not necessary.” She rifled through the drawers for an applicator. “Is that something you want to do?”

He shrugged. “I mean, all out, right?”

“Okay. I can teach you how to do that later.” She leaned the chair back, until Gabe was staring at the ceiling. “I need you to relax, darling. If it helps you, you can ask me anything you want.”

Gabe tried not to tense his jaw as he felt the hot wax against it. “Uh.”

Arissa pressed a paper sheet against the wax. “On three, okay?”

“UH.”

“One, two—“

“Do I get boobs too?” Gabe rushed out just as she pulled the paper off. He cursed loudly, eyes screwed shut and watering despite himself.

“Good girl,” Arissa cooed. “You did wonderfully. And yes, there are silicon breasts that can be attached to your chest for a more feminine physique.”

“Cool,” Gabe said, sounding strangled. He finally let out a gasping breath and opened his eyes. “How many more of these are there?”

“About five more.”

 _“Fuck!”_ Gabe closed his eyes again. “We can just stop here, I’m sure it’s fine.”

Arissa took his hand and led it up to where she had just waxed, and his eyes popped back open.

“Oh, oh woah that is _soft.”_

She smirked. “So… shall we continue?”

He huffed. “Yeah, I _guess.”_

She caught his eye and saw the amusement there and grinned herself. “Tell me about how you’d like the first dress Reno is seen in on-screen to look.” She busied herself waxing up another patch on his cheek.

He let out a deep breath. “Um. Black. Long. Slit up the side.”

“Sure, I’ve got a few of those.”

“Maybe sparkly like the ni-IIIIGHT _FUCK! SKY! GODDAMMIT!”_ He rubbed at his face, where Arissa had already waxed the next section.

“You’re doing great, sweetheart.” She went for the next, moving quickly. “Sparkly night sky dress with a slit up the side? We can do that. Are we thinking a thigh holster just visible for added sexiness?”

Gabe breathed through his teeth. “That does sound sexy.”

“On three.” She winked at him. “Three.”

_“GOD FUCKING DAMMIT!”_

“You’re half done.” She started on the other side of his face. “So, what do I call you?”

“Uh. I— _Jesus,_ um, Gabe, Gabriel.”

“Obviously. I’m asking what your pronouns are, love.”

He blinked in surprise. “Oh. Um. Surprise me.” He tensed in anticipation. “Uh, you?”

“She/her. _Relax,_ love. I’ve got you.” The moment he relaxed, she pulled.

He bit his cheek, determined not to yell _another_ curse word at the ceiling. But his fingers _were_ digging into the armrests. “Cool, cool,” he finally said. “Arissa, she/her.”

“What about your nouns?”

“My wha— _FUCK!”_ He rubbed viciously at his cheeks, slowing down suddenly to marvel at how _soft_ they were. “Oh, oh this is _nice.”_

“I told you. And your nouns, darling. One more to go.”

“I really don’t understand the question. My nouns? Uh, dumbass?”

She laughed softly and set up the last piece. “I know we speak English, dear, but we still have gendered nouns. Are you an actor or an actress? A lady or a man? Husband or wife?” She didn’t miss the way he tensed at the last one.

“Uh. I hadn’t. Huh.” He furrowed his eyebrows. “Hadn’t actually thought about that one.”

“Then you can get back to me some other time. I use feminine nouns, as well. Three.”

Gabe hissed and made a very angry, frustrated noise. “Fuck. Okay. _Fuck._ We’re done, right?”

“Almost.”

“What?!”

“Tense your top lip. Like, pull it down between your teeth so we can get your mustache.”

Gabe did as he was told, terror evident in his eyes.

“You’ll be fine,” Arissa assured him, layering wax over his top lip and pressing paper over it. She looked at his eyes and rolled her own. “Honey, you really need to tell your man about your having-your-mouth-covered kink.” She laughed at the sound of protest Gabe made. “It’s your pupils, babe. And you know what else you need to talk to him about? Your future.”

“H—“

“Keep your mouth closed and your lip tensed or this won’t end well, love.” She waited for him to do as he was told, though he did it with no small amount of irritation. “I said husband and wife and you went about thirty different degrees of tensed. I know what the tabloids say, but I’d venture to guess you two aren’t even married. Not to _mention_ there’s not even an indentation of a wedding ring.”

Gabe didn’t say a word.

“I’ll keep it to myself, don’t worry. But you need to talk to him about whatever it is you want. Whether that was tension of want or dread. You shouldn’t have that kind of tension in a relationship. Nod if you understand.”

Gabe huffed and nodded curtly.

“Good. Three.”

 _“Jesus_ **_fucking_ ** _Christ!”_

———

Dean poured everyone at the metal picnic table a shot. And by everyone, he meant himself, Anthony, and James. He checked his phone again, to where Gabriel had said he was on his way.

“D’awwww,” James crooned, tilting his head to the side in fake fawning. “Are you texting your hubby?”

“Maybe. Yes. Shut up.” Dean put his phone back in his pocket. “Haven’t seen him all day.”

“Yeah, I heard Arissa got him. I’m surprised he’s _already_ out.” Anthony took a sip of his shot like a homicidal maniac. “But he wasn’t in any scenes we were shooting, so I guess she saw her chance and took it.”

“What could possibly take _all day?”_ Dean griped.

“Arissa is a _goddess,”_ James promised, emptying his shot glass and refilling it himself. “She’s gonna make Gabe look better than he _already does.”_

Dean hid a smirk. “James, should I be jealous?”

“Dunno what you’re talking ab—“ James trailed off, eyes wide.

Gabe slid into the picnic table beside Dean, out of breath. “Hey, sorry I’m late. Arissa and I were talking about what breed of cat we thought the Egyptians worshi—“ He finally looked up to see everyone staring wide-eyed at him. Whiskey was dribbling out of James’s mouth. “What?”

Dean took a rather stunted breath. “Um. You look. Good.”

“Thanks?” Gabe looked down at himself. “I changed out of the dress because it was windy outside. It was gorgeous though. Can’t wait for you to see it.”

Dean reached out and pulled gently at some of Gabriel’s hair, grown-out over the months and curled. “I like this.”

“Well I like _all_ of it,” James said, wiping his face off. “Dean, tell me you’ve got another one of her somewhere. Like. A clone. That I can have. And pretend I’m still straight.”

Dean groaned as Gabe threw his arms up in victory. “AND THAT’S ANOTHER FOR CLONES!” Gabe cheered.

James raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know what that means, but if it means I get a clone of you, I’m down.”

Dean waved him off. “Look. Don’t mention clones around her, okay? She thinks they’re the meaning of life.”

“Um, _no,_ that’s not true at all,” Gabe countered, looking curiously between the two of them. “Clone _fucking_ is the meaning of life. James. Anthony. Would you fuck your own clone?”

Anthony, who had gone back to sipping his drink while James fawned, tilted his head in thought. “Well. Geez. Probably not. But I’d definitely hang out with it.”

“I’d absolutely fuck my own clone,” James said with confidence. “Like. I’d just go ahead and marry him and perform heists and shit.”

Gabe grinned. “Do you like, _need_ me to explain the Kinsey scale or—“

James held his hands out, one still holding his now-empty glass. “Look. Miss Gabe. My sexuality is women. And— Dean, buddy, can I be horny on main for your wife?”

Dean laughed, crossing his arms. “You haven’t been already?”

“Fair point. Okay. So, if you don’t care which pronouns I use, as long as I use she/her ones, then I’m still straight, right?”

Gabe considered it. “Y’know, I’m actually not sure. I guess so, yeah. But the relationship would still be queer.”

“Can I be Gabe-curious? Is that a thing?”

Gabe shrugged and looked at Dean. “Would that be like…. demigay?”

Dean snorted, choking on his drink a little. “Bicurious, dude.”

“Oh. Duh.” Gabe turned back to James. “Bicurious.”

“But you’re a lady!” James whined.

Anthony raised his glass. “He has a point.” He smirked at James. “Have you never rethought your sexuality, though?”

James poked his finger into Anthony’s chest. “I am being attac— Oh god you’re like… _solid.”_

Anthony laughed low in his chest, which did nothing for the blush on James’s face. “Alright, okay. Enough drinks for you.”

“No! More drinks for me!” James reached across the table and downed the drink Dean had poured for Gabe before anyone could stop him. “Am I bi?! Someone find me a guy to kiss!”

“You’ve already kissed me dozens of times!” Anthony countered.

“In character! That’s different!”

Gabe laughed at the scene before him, feeling a sudden sense of almost… _at-home-ness._ “I’ll kiss you, James,” he offered.

James looked at him, a sort of desperate panic on his face. “No offense, Miss Gabe, but if you kiss me with your… extremely nice lips then I’m going to actually die. On the spot. I will die a happy man, but I will die.”

Dean was laughing silently, looking at everyone with a deep fondness. “I could kiss you, then,” he offered.

James’s face was red, and he opened his mouth, realized he had no viable reason to protest, and shut it again. “No,” he said weakly.

“Then you’re shit outta luck, my dude,” Dean said, shrugging. “My wife offered, I offered, and you’ve _already_ kissed Anthony so your options are done.”

Gabe nodded sagely. “Yeah. Go home and watch porn and figure it out like the rest of us.” He turned his attention to Dean. “How was filming today?”

“It went great,” Dean responded, eyes looking a little lost, bouncing all around Gabriel’s face. “It was— sorry, you just look… _amazing.”_

He rubbed at his face, laughing nervously. “What? A guy gets one stubble waxed and suddenly he looks amazing?”

“He,” James repeated, pointing at Gabe. “Wait, is it a he day? A him day?”

Gabe winked at him. “If it helps your fragile heterosexuality, you can keep calling me ma’am.”

James threw his hands out frantically. “Is it he or she right now?! I don’t wanna offend you but I thought it was _definitely_ a she day what with the face and the makeup and the—“ he made a grabby motion at his own chest, “…y’know.”

Gabe furrowed his brow, then looked down at his own chest. He practically yelped, pulling his button-down shirt a little tighter together. “Okay oh oh _fuck_ wow I forgot I had the boobs on.”

“You. Forgot,” Anthony deadpanned, pouring himself another shot. “You were _accidentally_ walking around with your shirt unbuttoned to your sternum.”

Gabe threw out his hands. “I wear wild clothes! This is normal for me!” He ran a hand through his wavy hair. “I guess that totally does explain why you all just kept using feminine pronouns though, huh. Not that I minded! Just really caught me off-guard.”

James made a confused noise. “So which do you want?! What can I say to make you happy?”

Gabe laughed softly. “Any. All.”

Dean stage-whispered to James, “If you use masculine pronouns, you can see how that feels to your potential-bi-ness.”

James snapped his fingers as Anthony and Dean exchanged a wickedly gleeful look. “Yes! Of course! Uhhh, okay, okay. Gabriel.”

Gabe hid his smirk. “Yes, James?”

“You look… handsome.”

“So do you.”

“Thank you.” James looked pleased with himself.

Or, he did, up until Gabe teased, “Thank you _what?”_

James faltered. “Um. Thank you… Gabe?”

“C’mon. Call me something masculine. Teeter-totter on the Kinsey scale.”

James’s eyes said that he understood what was being asked of him, so he downed another shot, winced, and said, “Thank you, daddy.”

That was not, in fact, what had been asked of him, and Gabriel was choking on his drink as Anthony and Dean were laughing so hard they fell out of their seats, clutching at their sides.

Gabriel coughed, trying to find his voice as James tried to understand what was so funny.

“I—I meant more along the lines of _sir_ or _dude_ or _babe,”_ Gabe managed, voice still a bit raspy.

“Oooohhhhh,” James breathed. “My bad.”

“More like your _dad,”_ Anthony joked from the ground, sending Dean back into hysterics.

James flipped them both off and tried again. “You look handsome, sir.”

Gabe laughed softly. “There. Good try. Never call me sir again, but good try.”

“I mean it, though! You look _amaaaazing,”_ he insisted, reaching for another drink.

Gabe held the bottle away from him. “Alright, you can have this back once you can walk in a straight line.”

James looked highly offended. “Here I am! Questioning my sexuality! And you want me to walk _straight?!”_

“Can you?”

“…shut up.”

———

Gabe and Dean each had one of James’s arms around them as they helped him stumble back to his trailer.

“I! _Love_ you guys,” James promised, a big, wide, puppy smile on his face.

“You’re gonna hate us in the morning,” Dean promised back.

“Naaaaaaah, could never hate you. Or y’r wife.”

Gabe laughed. “You barely know me.”

“Not true!” James insisted, feet kinda-sorta-almost working properly. “Dean used to talk about you for _hours._ I feel like I’ve known you for _years.”_

“How sweet,” Gabe mused thoughtfully to Dean, who blushed and looked away.

“Yeah well, you were an annoying son of a bitch, so,” Dean grumbled half-heartedly.

“I don’t think that,” James told Gabe seriously as they approached the trailer. “I think you’re _stunning.”_

“Need me to get you some lipstick? It would look good on you,” Gabe joked, leaning him against the metal frame.

“Yes,” James decided, with a serious nod of his head. “B’t this is my stop.”

Dean laughed. “Yeah, it is. You gonna be okay?”

“Yes,” James said resolutely. “G’night, Gabe.” He leaned forward and, before Gabriel could react, had kissed him deeply. “An’ g’night Dean,” he sang out, pulling a shocked Dean in for a kiss.

Dean and Gabriel were both silent, eyes wide and mouths open.

“Kissed ya both,” James slurred, shooting them finger guns. “Kissin’ the homies g’night.”

Dean was the first to recover, face beyond red as he looked away. “Go to sleep you weirdo,” he joked, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

James made a drunken, flourishing bow. “As you wish, my highness.”

Gabriel snorted, covering his own red face. “Oh god, you’re so lame. I hope you don’t remember this tomorrow. We will literally never stop teasing you.”

James grinned at them both. “That’s the idea.” He blew them air kisses and stumbled into his trailer, waving broadly. “G’dnight!”

They watched the door close, and Gabe looked over to Dean. “So uh.”

“Yeah.”

“You’ve got my lipstick on your face.”

Dean sighed, stretching his arms out and shaking off the night. “Hmm. Wanna put it a few more places?”

Gabe felt a little of the red fade from his face. Who was he kidding? This was _Dean._ If there was anyone he’d like to be drunkenly-kissed by a friend with, it was him.

Gabe briefly, very briefly, wondered if forever with Dean looked like this, like wanting to experience everything _together._

“Oh, _absolutely.”_


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [pushes this across the void] enjoy

Castiel leaned back on the bed, frowning at the ceiling.

“You alright?” Sam asked, looking up from his phone.

“Just adjusting.”

“Adjusting your what?”

Castiel laughed softly. “I meant to life without Gabriel.”

“Ohhhhh, gotcha.” Sam texted something out to Jess and looked back to Cas. “I mean, it’s not permanent. Filming just takes a few months.”

Cas shrugged, scooting so his head laid off the foot of the bed. “How is Jess?” he asked, changing the topic.

“She’s doing good. She missed her family a lot, so the trip is a breath of relief for her.” He shot Cas a grin. “And she said her parents keep buying Posie stuff so I’m sure Posie is enjoying it, too.”

“Oh, that’s wholesome.” He looked over to Sam and smiled. “You are a lucky man.”

“I know,” Sam promised. “They’re the lights of my life. Give me a reason to wake up in the morning, y’know?”

Cas nodded and went back to staring at the wall. “Yes, I can see why.”

“How’s Charlie doing, by the way?”

“Oh, wonderfully!” Castiel’s eyes lit up. “She gets to work in-person on a contract position. It’s something very hush-hush so I’m afraid I can’t give any details, but it will forever revolutionize gaming.”

Sam smiled at the joy on Castiel’s face. “You know what, Cas? I think we just need to find you some more friends.”

“How do you mean?”

“You basically only talk to Gabriel and Charlie and sometimes Dean.”

“Well, that’s not true. I talk to you as well.”

“Right, but we both know I haven’t been able to talk as much since Jess got pregnant and we had to work remotely and—“ Sam sighed. “Obviously you’re my friend, Cas. But we need to find you someone you could like… live with.”

“You mean a roommate.”

“Um, sure, yeah. A roommate.”

“I’m perfectly capable of living on my own, you know.”

“I know. I wouldn’t suggest it if you weren’t.”

Cas humphed, rolling over onto his stomach. “How do you suggest I _find_ a roommate?”

“Tinder?”

“Sam.”

“Grindr.”

Castiel laughed. _“Sam.”_

“We get on Omegle and—“

Castiel hid his face in his hands, shoulders shaking. “Please never speak of the fourth layer of hell again.”

“Maybe an ISO in the newspaper.”

“How old _are_ you?”

“Eighty-four.”

“Mm, okay,” Cas grinned at him. “How about I do things like a normal human and meet someone at a bar?”

“Oh, you mean the bars that aren’t open? Those bars?”

“You can still do carry out!”

“Ah, yes of course, meeting in the pick-up line. What a classic roommate trope.” Sam motioned around them. “Besides, I’m not sure anyone here is just begging to move to America to share rent with a beekeeper who lives next to two psychopaths.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’ve seen that in at _least_ eight Hallmark movies.”

“Christmas ones or Valentine’s ones?”

“Actually the ones that come on right after the weekly Harry Potter marathon.” Castiel pushed himself up and slid on his shoes. “All this talk of picking up alcohol makes me want to pick up alcohol.”

“Grab me something!”

“I will, if I’m not whisked away by my future housemate.”

“You mean kidnapped.”

“I believe the proper term is mannapped?” Cas tried not to look self-satisfied as Sam laughed. “If I am mannapped, I’ll text you and let you know.”

“How thoughtful.”

“Put that in my Tinder profile.”

Castiel closed the door on the sound of Sam giggling, smiling to himself. It was dark out. He honestly wasn’t too sure what time it was, but he could see the moon and stars. It didn’t really matter, though. There was a bar down the street that stayed open until sunrise that he and Sam had found their first night there.

The night air was brisk and honestly he should’ve grabbed a jacket. He had his arms around himself and had looked down for _just a moment_ to breathe warm air into his hands when he bumped into a warm body.

He backed away immediately, putting his hands over his mouth. “Oh my god I’m so sorry,” he rushed out. “Hold on I have a mask, I didn’t expect anyone else to—“

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. No harm done.” Castiel finally looked up at the person and froze.

“Oh,” was all he managed.

The man was rummaging through his pockets, face down and looking flustered. “I have a mask, too, somewhere. Gosh sorry, everyone I’ve been around has already been in quarantine for three weeks so I guess I got un-used-to—“

“I have, too,” Castiel finally said, dropping his hands. “Been in quarantine, I mean. You… You’re… Anthony Douglas.”

Anthony looked up, eyes wide. “Yeah. I— wait, do I know you?”

“I see no reason why you would,” Castiel deadpanned. “But I imagine everyone knows who you are.”

Anthony laughed nervously, looking away. “I don’t know about _that…”_

“Come on, you’re _Doctor Sexy._ You’re a household name.”

Anthony raised one eyebrow at him. “I take it you’re a fan?”

“Absolutely. Though, a rather recent one, I might add. I started watching to share an interest with a neighbor of mine.”

“You watched an _entire show_ just to have something to talk about?”

“He was _very_ adamant about it.”

Anthony laughed slightly, crossing his arms. “I swear I know your face. You’re not even _mildly_ famous? Maybe suggested as a friend by Facebook?”

“It might actually be that second one,” Cas admitted. “We have one mutual friend. Well, two now, I suppose.”

“And who might that be?”

“Ah, the neighbor I was talking about, and my brother.”

Anthony snapped his fingers, eyes lighting up. “E=MCQueered! You’ve been in the background of most of those videos!” He grinned, running a hand over his face. “Oh god. Are you Sam?”

Castiel laughed at that. “Ah, no, but he _is_ waiting in my motel room.”

Anthony squinted. “Are you… Jess?”

Castiel hid his face in his hands, shoulders shaking. “No, I didn’t mean like _that._ He’s not—“ He laughed and finally just held out his hand. “I’m Castiel. _Gabriel’s_ brother.”

“Ohhhh, okay yeah. Dean’s neighbor, then.” Anthony took the proffered hand. “It’s nice to meet you. Your brothers are… very interesting people.”

It took Cas longer than he cared to admit to realize that the brother plural was in reference to his pretend Dean-in-law. “That’s putting it mildly.”

“Are they always so…?”

“So… flamboyant? Sarcastic? Chaotic? _Idiotic?_ Yes.”

“I was going to say ‘funny’ but those all work as well.” Anthony looked down the deserted street, lit only by a few storefronts. “I was headed to a bar, if you’d care to join me. I had some drinks with the two ah… _husbands_ in question earlier, but I’m not quite sleepy yet. And I think they’re doing _husband things_ right now anyways.”

“They do that a lot.” Castiel began walking, Anthony right beside him. “As luck would have it, I also was heading to the bar.”

“Not for alcohol, I’m sure,” Anthony teased.

“No, I was actually hoping to be mannapped.”

“Is that what the kids are calling hookups these days?”

Castiel hid his laugh behind his hand. “I wouldn’t know. I was joking with Sam that I’d text him if I was being kidnapped.”

“Should you text him, then?”

“Are you going to kidnap me?”

Anthony grinned, shoving his hands into his own pockets and shrugging. “I’m famous. Gotta do _something_ unsavory, right? That’s the track record?”

“And you’re going with _kidnapping?_ There is zero creativity in that. It wasn’t even your idea.”

“So plagiarism, then.”

“I’m not sure you’d get cancelled for plagiarizing someone else’s bad joke.” Cas pointed at him. “Unless, of course, you’re a comedian.”

“Does hilariously bad drama count?”

 _“Doctor Sexy_ isn’t bad drama!”

“Oh no, don’t get me wrong, it’s a _great_ show and I’m so thankful to be a part of it, but… c’mon Cassie,” Anthony walked backwards in front of him, holding his hands out, “it’s bad drama. It’s _fun_ bad drama, but it’s bad drama.”

Cas laughed incredulously, waiting for Anthony to bump into something. “What makes you think you can call me Cassie?”

“Oh, is it _Castiel_ to me?”

“Not if I can call you Annie.”

Anthony laughed loudly, almost tripping over his own feet. “That seems to be a fair trade. I’ll call you Cassie, you call me Annie.”

“We sound like cottagecore lesbians.”

“That’s a persona I will readily adopt. I can make a pretty mean flower crown.”

“Mean? No, no. We’ll need _nice_ flower crowns.” Cas grinned at him. “I _do_ have beehives I keep, and I’ve heard tell I’m an excellent cook.”

“Then it’s settled. You do the heavy lifting, I’ll sit around and look pretty.”

“What if _I_ want to sit around and look pretty?”

“I suppose you can, but know that I routinely burn coffee.”

“Oh, oh god,” Castiel shook his head, taking an obviously large step away from Anthony. “I’m afraid we can’t be friends after all.”

“Oh woe is me,” Anthony snarked back. “Whatever can I do to make up for this horrid travesty?”

“Answer a few questions about the next season so my fan fiction can be as accurate as possible,” Cas deadpanned.

Anthony had to stop to lean against a building, holding his stomach as he laughed hysterically. “How can I deny so bold a question?” he managed between giggles.

Cas shrugged, smirking. “And buy me a drink.”

Anthony wiped the tears from his eyes. “Ah, there it is.”

“There what is?”

“When you said you were Gabriel’s brother, I couldn’t see the resemblance. I think I might now.” Anthony motioned to Cas’s face. “It’s in the smirk.”

Cas began walking again and Anthony followed. “I’ve been told I also resemble him when I’m angry.”

“How does one make a beekeeper angry?”

“You get him buzzed?”

Anthony hid his face in his hands. “Oh god. That was awful.”

“Thank you!”

Anthony looked ahead of them. “Oh, we’re almost there. What do you drink? Mead?”

“And you said _my_ joke was bad?” Cas reached in his back pocket and pulled out his mask. “I drink anything pink.”

“Sure, one shot of Pepto Bismol coming up.”

Cas gagged. “Please never mention Satan’s Asshole again.” He scrunched up his nose as he put his mask on. “I’m not feeling pink anymore. Let’s do green. But creatively, not a margarita.”

“Creative green drink, got it.” Anthony looked at Cas’s mask and something passed over his face that Cas couldn’t name before he put on his own. “I’m more of a creative _purple_ drink guy myself.”

Cas watched as Anthony walked up to the window and placed an order, and they sat down at a picnic table outside as they waited.

“So,” Anthony began, flashing him a smile, “you had questions.”

“Yes, let me just grab my notebook,” Cas joked. “I suppose my first question is: what becomes of the relationship between Dr. Sexy and Dr. James?”

“Mm, good question. It’s definitely rocky at the start. We’ve already recorded a few episodes where I’m telling James that the hospital comes first, and James is upset about that.”

“As he should be.”

“Hey,” Anthony laughed, “I am mildly offended by that. I personally recommended that bit of bad drama.”

“Oh, it absolutely tracks to the characters. But that doesn’t mean I can’t still side with James on this one.”

“Doctor Sexy saves people!”

“Yes, but…” Cas gave him comically wide eyes, “who will save Doctor Sexy?”

“Doctor Sexy doesn’t need saved.”

Castiel gave him a Look.

“…Okay well, he doesn’t _want_ saved.”

“Yes, yes, I’m aware.” Castiel waved his hand absently. “So there is no true character growth this season for him?”

“Actually, there is! For once.”

“Oh? Color me intrigued.”

“I’ll color you green.” He grinned at the waiter under his mask. “Thank you.”

She nodded at the two of them and went back inside, leaving the drinks on the table.

“So we’re done with these,” Anthony began, pulling off his own mask. “But yes. Character growth. For a character who has consistently avoided growth of any kind.”

“Impressive.” Castiel took his mask off as well, picking up the neon green drink. “What is this?”

“I have no idea.”

Cas laughed, holding it up to the street light. “Didn’t you order it?”

“I said, ‘give me your strangest green drink and your strangest purple drink’. Et oui la.”

“Et oui la,” Cas repeated back to him. “Cheers?”

Anthony held up his own neon purple drink. “Cheers.”

They both took a large sip of their respective drink.

Castiel furrowed his eyebrows, licking his lips in thought. “I… have no idea what this is.”

“I’m about twenty percent sure mine is bubblegum. Trade?”

They traded drinks and took another sip.

“Oh,” Anthony said, crinkling his nose. “Oh, what _is_ that? Tide?”

“Yours is ringing as fruity pebbles bubblegum. Overall not terrible. I think I’ll keep this one.”

“And leave me with the laundry detergent? I think not.”

“Just— here,” Castiel said, pulling the straw out of the green drink and placing it by his own in the purple. “We can share.”

Anthony glanced at Cas’s mask on the table again, then at Cas. “Sure.”

“So, what sort of character growth are we talking?”

“Well,” Anthony began, “if the season _starts_ with him always putting the hospital first, then it stands to reason that it must _end_ with him—“

“Putting _James_ first!” Cas finished for him, eyes wide. “Oh, that’s so poetic!”

“You said it, not me.” Anthony smirked, and Cas studied the look.

“Hmm, maybe not James?” He laughed as Anthony tried and failed to put up a poker face. “It isn’t James! But… somebody. He puts _somebody_ before the hospital.”

“My lips are sealed.”

“No they aren’t,” Cas teased. “I bet it’s one of my brothers.”

“Hey yeah, why aren’t you asking your _brothers_ about this?”

“They refuse to give me spoilers,” he pouted. “Which is highly unfair.”

“They seem the unfair sort.” He took a sip of their drink, eyes trained on Castiel. “So I’ve given you spoilers for my show, can you give me spoilers for your fanfic?”

“What, and give you the means to find it? Absolutely not.”

“But I’m in it!”

“I never said that.”

Anthony examined his face, biting his lip in thought. “Dammit, your poker face is better than mine.”

“Years of prank wars.”

“How could you have a Doctor Sexy fanfic _without_ Doctor Sexy?!”

“Oh come now, surely you’re creative enough to answer that one.”

Anthony put his fist against his chin in thought. “Hmm. Are you asking me to think up a fanfic plot that doesn’t involve my own character?”

“…well I am _now.”_

They both took another sip, and Anthony made a thinking noise. “Um. Hmm. I think. I think I would start off with two OCs.”

Cas almost spit out his drink. “Hold up—“

“It would be an AU of sorts, canon-adjacent, of course. Two girls. Nurses. Working in different wings of the hospital. They somehow always wind up on the night shift so that they take their break at the same times. They smoke outside, but then one admits she’s trying to quit so the other quits too as like, a show of support. So they start eating food together on break instead. Slow burn. 200K.”

Cas’s mouth was open. “That was _far_ too many fandom-specific words for me to believe you have not _already_ written this fanfiction.” His eyes widened. “Oh my god. _You_ write Doctor Sexy fanfiction!”

Anthony grinned. “Maybe a little. But I pose to you this question: if I’m consulted on canon writing decisions… is it still _fanfiction_ or is it just canon?”

“Oooo, good question.” Cas mulled it over. “Still fanfiction, because though you are a canon writer, you did not write it in what we consider canon, namely the show.”

“And if I did?”

Cas regarded him suspiciously. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, if you pay attention to background extras, Kellie and Clyde who, by the way, have _never_ been named on the show, are falling in love and have been for four seasons.”

Cas leaned back in his seat, arms out and eyes wide. _“What?!_ A whole background _lesbian romance_ and I never _noticed?!”_

Anthony laughed softly, taking another sip. “No one has. It’s okay. It’s just something I chat about with them between takes and they started playing it because well… why not?”

“Oh my god.” Cas laughed, running a hand over his face. “I really wasn’t intending to rewatch the whole series _again_ but here we are, I suppose.”

Anthony took a tentative sip of the Tide drink they had set aside. “Oh hey, this doesn’t taste as bad now.”

“It’s because we’re tipsy.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that—“ he moved their straws into the green drink, “it doesn’t taste bad. More floral than detergent now.”

Cas raised an eyebrow at the quarter-full purple drink. “And what about this one?”

Anthony threw his hands up. “Chug chug chug chug!” he chanted.

Castiel rolled his eyes dramatically and drank the rest of the glass, eyes squeezed shut. “Oh, fuck,” he said, voice raspy, “that burned a bit. You have to drink a fourth of that one. It’s only fair.”

Anthony stuck both straws in his mouth and drank it as fast as he could, coughing at the end. “I think this one is stronger,” he admitted.

“Two drunk fanfic writers. What could go wrong?” Castiel blinked blearily at his phone. “Oh, Sam is calling me.”

“Tell him I said hi!”

“Mm.” Cas answered the call, squinting at the brightness of the screen. “Hello?”

“Um, yeah, hey. Are you okay?”

“Oh, right, right. I was supposed to text you if I was being kidnapped.”

“And are you?”

“I have been entirely kidnapped by a new friend, yes. He says hello.”

“…so you’re okay? No jokes.”

“I’m fine, Sam.”

“Call me Samantha if something is wrong.”

 _“Sam._ I’m fine. I’m with Anthony.”

“Anthony… Douglas?”

“The one and only. I am afraid we were in the middle of a very tantalizing conversation, so if you were calling to check up on me, know that I am fine and you should get some rest.”

“Video chat me.”

“Yes, Mother Hen.” Cas opened the video chat and turned it so Sam could see them both. “See? We’re fine.”

“Okay. Alright. I was just worried.”

Anthony waved at Sam. “Hello, Sam! I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Um, same, actually! My brother’s not being too much of an ass, is he?”

Anthony laughed. “Neither him nor his husband are too much for us to handle. Right, Cassie?”

Sam winced. “Oh, he hates when you call him—“

“Right, Annie,” Cas practically sang back.

“Are you _kidding me?!_ ”

“I am going to hang up on you now, Sam, so we can get back to drinking laundry detergent.”

“Hey, hey wait—“

Castiel hung up the call, and he and Anthony burst into laughter.

“Okay okay,” Anthony finally managed, “this drink and then I show you a cool park around here?”

“Are we going to drink it as fast as we can?”

“How else would we drink it?”

“On three?”

“No,” Anthony deadpanned before grabbing his straw and sipping as fast as he could.

“Hey, no cheating!” Cas shoved him away and tried to catch up, and they both drank until they were dizzy and giggly.

Anthony stood up shakily and Castiel held out his hand. “Lead me to the park, Annie.”

Anthony reached for his hand but paused, glancing again at the table. “Uh, don’t forget your mask, Castiel.”

Cas rolled his eyes and picked up the mask, noticing for a single drunken moment the two pride flags across it. “Oooooohhhh,” he dragged out. “Aww, Annie. I appreciate the concern, but I don’t care if you hold my hand.”

Anthony still hesitated. “You sure? I don’t wanna make you uncomfortable.”

Cas reached forward and grabbed his hand, using it to hoist himself up. “I’m sure. Lead the way, Annie.”

Anthony’s grin was wide and bright. “Anything for you, Cassie.”

“Anything?”

“Within reason.”

Cas grinned, leaning against Anthony as they walked. “Tell me the opening line of your fanfiction.”

Anthony laughed, squeezing Cas’s hand. “Okay. Alright. _Clyde shook her hair out in the freezing December night…”_


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 🐓🐓🐓 these chickens have come out the closet to inform you they are, in fact, gay  
> aka smut warning  
> summary in end chapter notes for those who don't wanna read it

Gabriel was laughing hysterically as Dean tried and failed to shush him, both stumbling into their trailer.

“Shhhh shush shush shhhh,” Dean shushed drunkenly. “Anthony will h-hear us!”

“Iiiii saw him head to town. We’re okay,” Gabe promised, pushing Dean onto the bed. “Besides! He knows what we do in here. We— We’re not exactly _subtle.”_ He leaned over Dean, glitter falling out of his hair and into Dean’s face. Dean laughed and reached up to shake out Gabe’s hair, releasing a downpour of glitter.

“This is so fun!” Dean said, eyes joyous. “I like the glitter.”

“Good! You’ve got a _lot_ on you,” Gabe responded. He bracketed his arms around Dean’s shoulders, but instead of kneeling, he had his feet firmly planted on either side of Dean’s thighs, ass high in the air.

Dean made his best attempt at a serious face. “I’m Edward Cullen,” he deadpanned.

Gabriel giggled, hiding his face for a moment. “Oh no. Are you a Twihard?”

“Don’t tell anyone,” Dean stage-whispered.

“Team Edward or Team Jacob?”

“Um, Team _Alice,_ obv-obviously.”

Gabe made an approving noise. “Got me there.” He wiggled his shoulders, effectively bouncing the fake boobs still stuck to his chest. “Hey. Dean. Touch my tits.”

Dean laughed so hard he almost cried, one hand over his face. “Oh my _god_ get off me!”

“Touch my tiiiiiiitttttsss,” he said again in the deepest voice he could manage, before also laughing.

“Fine fine! Pushy,” Dean teased, grabbing them and pulling Gabe down.

“Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow—“ Gabe hissed out, flopping down onto him.

Dean immediately let go. “I’m sorry! I didn’t— huh. Those are… _really_ stuck, aren’t they.”

“This might just be me now,” Gabe said, muffled against Dean’s chest. “Gabe plus tits.”

“I mean. There are worse things to have.”

Gabe couldn’t help his smirk. “You like my rack, Byron?”

Dean made a thinking noise. “I mean… I’d absolutely like them better if you could feel them.”

“Oh? And why’s that?”

Dean pulled Gabe up level with him, then farther, making sure Gabe was watching before he ran a tongue up the silicone.

All the blood in Gabe’s body was split evenly between his face and his dick. “N-nothing phases you, huh?”

“Why don’t you just keep trying to find out?” Dean winked at him, taking the nipple between his teeth before kissing it. “Besides. Always did like getting pegged by the ladies.”

Not that Gabe could feel the tongue or the teeth or the mouth, but it was still… hot. As fuck. “My genderqueer heart.”

Dean licked his lips and met Gabe’s eyes in a challenge. “You gonna fuck me, ma’am?”

“The tits don’t make me a ma’am.”

“I know.”

Gabe looked at Dean under him. “…you’re lucky I’m feeling kinda like a ma’am.”

“Oh, believe me. I’m _well aware_ of how lucky I am.”

Gabe rolled his eyes at that, blushing lightly. “Then go get yourself ready, you sap.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Dean crooned, flipping them easily and planting a firm kiss on Gabe’s lips before spinning into the bathroom.

Gabe ran a hand over his face, sighing lightly. Things were going through his head. A lot of things. A lot of things that had been _trying_ to go through his head for the past however-long, but now that he was inebriated, they were swinging in full-force.

He tried to decide whether less or more alcohol would fix the problem, and decided on reaching to the bedside table and grabbing the vodka. He winced slightly as he took a large swig and spun the top back on. “Might’ve been a bad idea,” he said to himself, thunking the bottle back in its spot. He tried to focus on Dean, Dean Byron Winchester, beauty incarnate, wonderful, wild, perfect. But focusing on Dean was a good portion of the problem, so he thought of sex instead, which was close enough.

Dean was back on the bed before he could think of anything else, elbows bracketing his shoulders, knees bracketing his hips. “Howdy there, pretty lady,” he drawled, grinning slightly.

“Howdy yourself,” Gabe said back, pulling him down for a kiss that went from soft to sexual in 0.2 seconds flat. Gabe flipped them, and Dean wrapped his legs around him.

 _Gabriel Shurley_ was— well. Not that Dean had paid a lot of attention during Art History back in college (opting instead to memorize formulas and balance equations), but Gabriel Shurley was… a Pointillism piece kept at arm’s distance.

Or, at least, that’s what Dean had thought at first. A full picture whose details could only be seen up close.

But Pointillism seemed too _orderly_ for Gabriel. No, Gabriel was a Pollock. A seemingly random mix that had been carefully crafted to make a whole. Every detail was fully on display, if you only knew how to peek under the layers.

Gabriel was wild paint thrown at a canvas, calculated slightly but leaving most of himself up to chance, falling gracefully wherever the universe saw fit to throw him.

Nothing could ever be like him, nothing else could ever come _close._

But Dean couldn’t exactly tell him that while said painting was pounding his ass, so he gripped tightly to Gabe’s shoulders and trusted he got the message.

“Whatcha thinkin’ bout, cowboy?” Gabriel growled low in his ear.

“Uh, P-Pollock,” Dean gasped out.

Gabe slowed and stopped his hips. “Um. The painter?”

“Yes?”

Gabe covered his face and laughed low. “Oh my god. Turn over. I don’t wanna see your face right now.” He didn’t wait for a response, easily flipping Dean. “Fucking Pollock. Why? Wait no, I wanna guess.”

Dean adjusted his sense of gravity as he stared at rainbow-striped pillows. “You’re not gonna get it right.”

He pulled Dean’s hips up and back, lining up again. “Do you wanna be a Pollock painting? Is that it?” He pushed in easily, leaning forward to joke breathlessly, “I’m afraid the only color I’ve got is white.”

Dean let out a sound that was halfway between a gasp and a laugh, raising himself onto his elbows. “Grody. No.”

“Hmm, yooooouuuuu wanna fuck Pollock?” Gabe tried, picking up speed again.

Dean’s fingers grasped at bedsheets, his breath coming out ragged. “N-nope.”

“I wanna fuck Pollock?”

“Do you?”

“Not particularly. Maybe a threesome though…”

“Still no.” Dean bit his bottom lip, forehead pressed against his forearms.

“Then I’m out of guesse— oh _hello.”_

Dean had pushed himself up until he was on his knees, back lined up against Gabe’s front, arms reaching back to get lost in slightly-curly hair.

Gabe ran a hand down the chest and stomach and thighs now on access to him. “How nice of you to come up and see me,” he murmured against Dean’s neck, thrusts slowed to a gentle tease.

“You,” Dean rumbled back, grinding his ass back into Gabriel.

“M-me?” Gabe all but squeaked.

“You’re a Pollock painting, Rosie,” Dean whispered, taking Gabe’s chin and pulling him in for a kiss. He slipped his tongue into Gabe’s mouth at the same time that he brought his hands down and back to grab Gabe’s hips. “Hold still,” he whispered against parted lips before thrusting himself onto Gabe’s dick.

Gabe let out some startled, absolutely-turned-on sound into Dean’s mouth. He tried to say words, realizing they were still kissing, and pulled away long enough to ask, “Where the _fuck_ have you been all my life?”

Dean grinned against his mouth. “Gathering all the skills I needed to win you over.”

“You spent this wh-whole ass time learning how to be s-sarcastic?” Gabe panted against Dean’s throat.

“M-most of it, yes, a-actually,” he joked back, head falling back against Gabriel’s shoulder. He pressed his lips to Gabe’s ear. “I kn-know you like it when I whisper in your ear, s-so listen.”

Gabe shivered at the sound, one hand wrapping around Dean’s dick.

“Y-you are the most b-beautiful, charming, a-and sexy person around. You-You-re a Pollock paint-ting because you are c-carefully planned wil-wilderness.”

“Dean,” Gabriel groaned, free hand grasping uselessly at his bicep. There was something pleading in his voice, something desperate, something that almost betrayed incessant thoughts.

“I love you,” Dean promised against his ear.

Gabe bit just beyond gently at Dean’s shoulder, eyebrows drawn up as he came, shuddering and holding on for all he was worth.

Dean grinned lazily, grinding his hips back and enjoying the soft, desperate sounds. “Hey. I’ve got an idea.”

Gabe was still breathing hard against Dean’s neck. “Does— Does it involve me sucking you off because—“

“Nope,” he responded, letting the P pop. “Round two?”

Gabriel made a very disbelieving noise. “Round two? I’m still recovering from round _one!”_

“That’s what makes it fun,” Dean purred, rolling his hips in teasing circles.

“F-f-uck,” Gabriel groaned against his throat, hands shaking.

“That’s the idea.”

“Christ, give me like. Ten minutes to gather myself up.”

“Mmm, no.” Dean maneuvered them both until Gabriel was laying beneath him, panting and red-faced.

“Jezebel,” Gabe accused.

“Actually it’s Byron, but close,” Dean snarked back. He pressed a gentle kiss to Gabriel’s lips, earning himself a very soft moan. “I’m just gonna kiss you for ten minutes. That okay?”

“That’s okay.”

“Because you’re beautiful,” _kiss,_ “and wonderful,” _kiss,_ “and you deserve to be loved.”

“Oh so we’re _torturing_ me, that’s what this is, okay,” Gabe responded shakily, looking away.

“This? This is aftercare,” Dean teased lightly, kissing his cheek.

“Aftercare? What kind of fanfiction do you _read,_ Winchester?”

Dean just gave him a wink and pressed his open mouth against his throat. “You’re so beautiful it’s physically painful to have to look away from you.”

“Yeah? Well _you—“_ The rest of whatever Gabriel was going to say was cut off by Dean’s hand covering his mouth. He unconsciously moaned low, hips lifting of their own accord.

Dean laughed softly. “Why are you into this?” he teased lightly.

Gabe tried to snark something back, but it didn’t come across as more than hums.

“Is it because you don’t have to think of what to say?” Dean asked absently, trailing his free hand across chest and silicone. “Or maybe it’s that you want to be kept from saying something.”

There was a look on Gabriel’s face, like he hadn’t thought that deep about it, but that it made _sense._

“That’s it, huh? You want someone to stop you from saying something.” He leaned down to bite at his neck, trailing kisses up to his ear. “Just say it.”

There was a very soft hum, like a half-formed, whispered word.

“I won’t move my hand,” Dean promised. “And I won’t be upset, either. I get it. There are some things I’d rather not tell you, too.” He kissed at his jawline. “I see it in your eyes sometimes. Like you wanna say something but think better of it.”

Gabe squeezed his eyes shut, focusing on the feeling of Dean’s hand traveling down his side and the heat coiling again in his gut.

Maybe he didn’t need ten minutes after all.

Dean sucked lightly at his neck and Gabe’s eyes fluttered open, hips lifting to meet Dean’s again. He tried and failed to say his name.

Dean pulled back to raise an eyebrow at him, and there was that perfect green.

They stared at one another, and Gabriel’s alcohol-adled mind considered it. Just voicing the thought that had been steadily bouncing around his skull for the past— few weeks at least. Just say it, so maybe it could stop making his heart pound against his ribs.

Yeah, that would stop it. Just say it. Just once.

He took in a breath to do just that when a knock sounded against their door.

“Hello!” came Castiel’s voice through the metal. “This is your warning that I will be next door playing board games with Anthony for the next few hours, so please keep all sounds to a G rating.”

“Uh, will do!” Dean yelled back. He looked down at Gabe and shrugged. “G stands for Gay, right?”

 _“Mmph,”_ Gabriel agreed.

Dean smirked. “Then two questions. One, are you ready?”

Gabe wiggled his hips as a response.

“Okay. And two, can you keep quiet?”

Gabe shrugged and Dean laughed, sliding his hand off and kissing him before grabbing them both gently in his hand.

“Fuck,” Gabe breathed against Dean’s mouth, hands grabbing at his back. Heart still pounding. Thoughts still bouncing. He pressed his lips hard against Dean’s throat, trying to prevent them from finishing what they had tried to start.

Worse. It was _worse_ now. He knew, and it had only been all of ten seconds since he was ready to say it. Just to give it an outlet.

He wanted the hand back. At this point, he wasn’t sure he wouldn’t be into Dean _choking_ him, because—

“Fuck,” he said again, desperate, eyes squeezed closed in something akin to panic. Because Dean was right. Someone needed to stop him from saying it. Because he had looked into green eyes and asked what forever looked like. Because he had gotten his answer. Because he was Gabriel goddamn Shurley, society’s fuck-up, and his lips had no right to try to form the words, _Marry me._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> they frickity-frack and uh-oh Gabriel figured out what forever with Dean looks like and it's that he wants to marry him, two chaotic bisexuals locked in thinking-they're-not-good-enough-for-marriage what will happen next?! find out next week on Piña Coladas!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> rolling out the hellyear with a chapter, enjoy and HAPPY NOT-2020

Dean knew he was dreaming, and he couldn’t do anything about it.

Which was, really, pretty unfair. The whole _point_ of knowing it was a dream was to be able to change it, but he was at the mercy of his subconscious.

And his subconscious was picking out an engagement ring for Gabriel.

Dean _literally_ looked at the sales rep that was showing him band after band and said, “Look lady, this is a dream.”

She merely nodded like she understood and showed him another potential ring. “What does forever with him look like, Dean?” she asked sweetly, smiling at him.

And Dean had never thought of forever, had never thought he would even make it _this_ long, and had _definitely_ never thought he’d be in a loving relationship of any kind. “I don’t know,” he admitted, picking up a ring and examining it.

He turned around to see a house in the suburbs, a white picket fence, two-point-five kids, and him with an arm around Gabriel.

“Not like that,” he murmured, turning back to the sales counter.

The lady was Gabriel now, and Dean scowled at himself for dream plot continuity. “Why would we even get married?” Gabe asked, head propped on his hand, elbow propped on the glass display case. “What would it do for us that we don’t already have?”

“Why the fuck am I dreaming about marriage,” Dean grumbled, ignoring Gabriel’s very short skirt and very pink lips.

Gabe shrugged nonchalantly, picking up a few rings and looking them over with mild interest. “What do you want from me, Byron?”

“I don’t—“

Gabe held a hand up, silencing him. “Don’t answer. Just think about it.”

“You know what? I want this to be a wet dream. I don’t wanna deal with deep thoughts in what’s supposed to be the cool fun dream times.”

Gabe laughed and held Dean’s face in his hands, kissing him softly. “Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Dean responded defensively, lifting Gabe up easily and setting him on the glass counter. He settled between his thighs, hands against his chest. “It’s my dream, and I say we fuck.”

Gabe kissed him long and slow, biting at his bottom lip gently. His kisses trailed off to the side, down Dean’s jaw and throat and back up to his ear. “Does this count as a honeymoon?” he whispered, breath hot against Dean’s face.

Dean hissed through his teeth and pulled his face back. “Hey, quit with the marriage shit. You’re gonna give me an anxiety attack over here.”

“You’re the one running this rodeo.”

“Why the hell would I be thinking about marriage, huh? Riddle me that.”

“Probably something about your dad.”

“My dad,” Dean deadpanned back. “You’re fucking joking.”

“Do I _look_ like I’m joking?”

Dean blinked, and suddenly his father was staring back at him. He yelped and stepped away, stumbling into a jewelry rack.

“Okay we can turn the dream back around now, thanks,” Dean called out shakily to the ceiling.

“Are you even _thinking,_ son? Are you _using_ your head?” John asked from his perch on the glass display case, scrutinizing Dean.

“Looking like a bit _too_ much, actually.” Dean tried to step further back but only hit wall that wasn’t there a moment ago.

“You know that every relationship in our line of work fails. There’s no apple pie life for people like us.”

“Sam found the apple pie life.”

John shook his head. “He was never one of us. You know that.”

“So what? You just here to tell me I’m gonna fuck up this relationship? Because if so you can fuck right off. I liked you better in your orange jumpsuit.”

John sighed and ran a hand through his hair, and when he looked at Dean again, they were both in orange. “I’m just saying be careful, alright? If you really love her, you gotta realize you’re only gonna hurt her in the end. Better to rip the bandaid off now.”

“I think I’m good. Visiting hours are over.”

“Listen, I ain’t trying to—“

“I don’t _care_ what you ain’t trying to do! You’re meddling places I haven’t invited you! Now kindly _fuck off_ and let me get back to my dream!”

John leaned forward on his elbows, and Dean did not remember standing so close. “You ever scared?” he asked in a voice that hadn’t yet been to prison.

“That’s a dumbass question. Everyone is scared.”

“I mean of me. There in your head. You got bits of me lodged in there, and you try and keep ‘em all nice and contained, but the truth is they could come out at any second.”

“How about you shut the fuck up?”

“The anger. The stubbornness. The doubt. That’s all me in there. You ain’t ever gonna get rid of me.” John tapped Dean’s head with a single finger. “You ever scared you’ll just… _revert?_ That you’ll black out one day and wake up having murdered—“

 _“I SAID SHUT THE FUCK UP!”_ Dean reared back and swung, fist connecting with jaw.

John’s head snapped back and he laughed. “Ah,” he said, grinning. “There I am.”

There was blood on Dean’s fist, and lipstick, and he looked up to see the swollen face of Gabriel.

He snapped awake, drenched in cold sweat.

“Gabriel?” he called out immediately, hand reaching out to find the bed empty. Panic gripped his heart tight and he felt his throat constrict. _“GABRIEL!”_ he yelled desperately, throwing the covers back and running for the light switch. He collided with something and fell to the floor.

“Ow, Jesus, warn a fella,” Gabe grumbled.

Dean couldn’t think, couldn’t _speak_ as he wrapped Gabriel tight in his arms. “I thought—“ he swallowed the sentence. “Why— Why are you awake?”

“Nightmare,” Gabe admitted. “You?”

Dean swallowed harshly. “Same.”

“Wanna talk about it?”

“You first?”

Gabriel tried to shrug, but was still caught up in strong arms. “Same as usual. Set on fire during a hailstorm as they all take Cassie away from me.” If his hands gripped Dean tighter, neither said anything. “You?”

“Eh, new one.”

“Your dad or the people?”

“My dad.” He pressed his mouth to Gabriel’s hair. “Telling me we were doomed.”

“Well, your dad was doomed, so—“

“I mean you and me.”

“Oh, okay.” Gabriel screwed his face up in a poor imitation of a smile. “That hardly seems panic-worthy, no offense.”

Dean pulled Gabriel into his lap and held him close, breathing his scent in. “Are you afraid of me?” Dean whispered, half-hoping Gabriel wouldn’t hear him.

“Afraid? Of you? I’ve seen you cry at children’s movies,” Gabe snarked lightly. He put a finger beneath Dean’s chin and lifted it. “Why? Did he tell you I was?”

“No. He told me I should be afraid of me.”

Gabe nodded. “Seems like your usual dream logic. As in, not logical at all.”

It was dark in the trailer. The sun hadn’t bothered to rise yet, and they both had the barest hints of headaches edging at their brains.

“Hey Rosie?”

“Yes, Byron?”

Dean pressed his face into the crook of Gabe’s neck. “If I cry will you cry with me?”

Gabe let out a shuddering breath. “Yeah, I could go for a good cry right about now.”

Before Gabe could even process, there was a hand on the back of his head, pulling him in, and Dean was whispering, promising, “I would never hurt you, I would _never_ hurt you.”

“I know,” Gabe assured back.

“And you’re here,” Dean told him. “You’re here, with me, and you’re okay. You’re a good person, okay?”

“Okay,” Gabriel whispered shakily against his neck.

“Okay.”

Gabe closed his eyes and took deep breaths. “I don’t know about you,” he began quietly, “but sometimes I’m still scared of things that can’t happen. Or that aren’t true.”

“Yeah,” Dean agreed, voice barely carrying.

“Like… Like, I _know_ everyone is gone. And that they can’t _get_ to me or Cassie anymore but sometimes I’m just still… scared.” He half-laughed, watery and trembling. “I guess when you’re just… _raised_ in fear it never really leaves you.”

And Dean was struck again by how similar their fears were, their nightmares, their deepest desires. “I know exactly what you mean.” And if Gabe was being vulnerable, he could be, too. “My worst fear is that he’s still there, in my head. And I know he… he _kind of_ is. But I mean, I’m afraid I’ll wake up one day and just… _be_ him. Like, I’ll be gone, and all that will be left is— is that just deep, dark _despair_ with no escape besides… doing something to at least feel like I deserved it.”

Gabe was warm, but his nose was cold where it pressed against Dean’s neck. “Do you trust me?” he asked gently.

“Of course I do.”

Gabe pulled back and held Dean’s face in his hands, thumbing away the few stray tears that had escaped. “Then trust me when I say that will not happen. You are nothing like him.”

“I’m almost exactly like—“

“No, listen. I know you think that. But you’re a scientist, Dean. You know, logically, that you are not like him. Regardless of what you _feel_ inside. You’re skewing your own conclusions, so trust _mine.”_ He shook Dean’s head lightly. “When you’re scared, or unsure, or you can’t trust your own thoughts, then trust _me.”_

“Rosie,” Dean breathed, and it was a very broken sound.

“I’m telling you that you are not your father, and you will not become him, and you will not hurt me. And you trust me. So _trust me.”_

“Okay,” Dean whispered, pressing a kiss to Gabriel’s palm. “But you have to trust me, too. Especially when I tell you that you are _good,_ Gabriel. And you are _safe._ Hey— look at me.”

Gabriel’s eyes had strayed away, and they reluctantly came back.

“Would I ever let them take you from me?”

“I—“

“Would I?”

“No,” he breathed.

“That’s right,” Dean promised. “I wouldn’t let them hurt you, or Cas, or anyone. You are _safe._ No matter whether you feel that or not. It’s true.”

 _“We’re_ safe,” Gabe asserted, pulling Dean in and kissing him gently. “You and me. Together.”

“Forever?” Dean asked, and the moment the word passed his lips, he could feel how fragile it was, like _forever_ was the support beam holding up the entire house, and he had never, never dared show someone it before.

There was something in Gabriel’s eyes. It was that same something Dean had kept glimpsing, that he couldn’t name yet. It was just _something._ “Forever,” Gabriel agreed.

Dean took a deep breath and let it out. “Okay.”

Gabe patted his shoulder. “Good group therapy session, doc. Same time next week?”

“Hope not,” Dean groaned, leaning back. He glanced at the clock. “Shit. We should really get to sleep.”

“You feelin’ sleepy?”

“No,” he admitted. “You?”

“No.” Gabe sighed, looking around the room. “But we have to be up early to film.”

“How about we fill the bathtub up with the hottest water it can make and practice our lines in there?”

“You sure know how to charm a theydy,” Gabe joked, standing up and holding out his hand.

Dean accepted it, standing up with him. “Yeah well, I happen to know this theydy inside and out.”

“A fact which still trips me out a bit.” Gabriel sat on the edge of the bathtub, turning the knob all the way to hot. “Close the curtains, will ya?”

Dean did so and sat beside him, both naked in the small pseudo-room. “Do you have anything specific you wanna work on?” Dean asked over the sound of running water.

“Actually, yes.” Gabe kept an eye on the level in the bathtub. “I don’t really know how to word it, but I feel like I’m Gabriel-As-Reno, not just… _Reno.”_

“You’re Gabreno.”

“Don’t,” Gabe said, hiding his almost-laugh. “Like, I’m in his head, and I understand him as a character, but I still feel more like I’m imitating him than actually _being_ him, y’know? Does that make sense?”

“Yeah, I understand.” Dean reached back and turned the knob a bit higher. “So what do you wanna do about it?”

“I dunno. I was hoping you had an idea.”

Dean hummed in thought and stepped into the tub, leaning back against the back and holding his arms open in invitation.

Gabriel slid in after him, nuzzling himself into Dean’s chest.

“What if I just talk to you as Nevada, and you respond as Reno, until it feels more natural?” Dean suggested, wrapping his arms around Gabe.

He snorted. “What do Reno and Nevada talk about? Drug cartels? I’m afraid I don’t have the background knowledge you do there.”

“I’ve been thinking they’re more… _domestic_ than that.” Dean sank further into the rising hot water, leaning his head back against the edge. “Like… how’s the weather?”

“How’s the weather,” Gabriel deadpanned back. “Really. Two bosses of the country’s largest drug cartel and they talk about the _weather.”_ He reached out and turned the water off, sinking back into his spot.

“Well,” Dean began, “I think… _it was a beautiful day today. Didn’t you see the way the clouds caught shadows? It was marvelous,” Nevada finished, eyes closed, smiling._

“Oh, we’re doing it now, okay.” Gabe pressed his hand against Nevada’s chest. “I wasn’t really looking at the sky today.”

_“Why not, love?” Nevada turned to him and tucked a strand of hair behind Gabriel’s ear, and the fondness in his gaze relaxed something in the smaller man._

_“I just—“_ Gabriel looked away. “I didn’t think to. Do you always look at the sky?”

_“I make it a point to, yes. You know that.” He pulled Gabriel’s chin up to meet his gaze again, thumb swiping softly over his bottom lip. “Just as I make it a point to memorize your face every day.”_

_“Every day?” Reno asked, wonder in his eyes. “Don’t tell me you forget me that easily.”_

_“Of course not. But time changes faces, you know. I get the opportunity to watch the lines form across your face, but only if I make sure to look every day.”_

_“You_ can’t like the lines that much,” Gabriel snarked, pulling away.

_“I love everything about you.”_

“There’s a lot of things about me,” Gabe huffed, blowing another stray strand of hair away. “I’m a bottomless pit of… whatever I am.”

_“Eloquent.”_

“Well _sorry_ I can’t pull the right words to my brain like you!” Gabe snapped, turning to glare at Dean.

Who was looking at him with amusement in his eyes.

“Oh,” Gabriel said. “Oh, you were joking.”

_“I do that from time to time,” Nevada stated seriously, nodding. “I see I could stand to do better.”_

“Yeah well…” ~~Gabriel~~ _Reno’s eyebrow twitched up, “it’s all in the tone, you know. You hide it all in your eyes.”_

_“I am sneaky like that, yes,” Nevada returned lightly._

_“I suppose it gives me a good reason to look into them.”_

_“Did you need a reason?”_

_“I need a reason for everything I do.” Reno had never thought those words before, but they felt… correct. They fit._

_Nevada kept the smirk off his face remarkably well. “Oh? And what is your reason for doing me?”_

_“It’s that I adore everything about you.”_

_“The feeling happens to be mutual.”_

_“Well, I should certainly hope so.” Reno relaxed against him, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. “You did marry me, after all.”_

_“My partner in crime,” Nevada teased, pressing a soft kiss to his temple._

_“Oh, is that what it said on the marriage license?” Reno mumbled._

_“Legality,” Nevada murmured back, like it was an inside joke. “I could take you to the ocean and whisper my vows to you again, and it would be just as legal as anything inside a courthouse.” He kissed Reno’s hair. “I could whisper them right now, even. I could promise myself to you again inside this bathtub that frankly leaves a lot to be desired.”_

_Reno hummed in acknowledgement, reaching out and turning the jets on without opening his eyes. “Does that soothe your aching soul?” he asked, grinning, but just barely._

_“Actually, yes.” Nevada pressed his head to Reno’s and closed his eyes as well. “You are the most beautiful creature upon this earth,” he whispered._

_“That’s highly untrue,” Reno whispered back. “You happen to be on this earth.”_

_Nevada laughed low in his chest. “Be that as it may, you truly are wondrous. And I will stay upon this earth for as long as you are on it with me.”_

_“Mmm. That might be a very long time.”_

_“I’m prepared for that possibility. Besides, I have you to keep me company.”_

_“Your partner in crime.”_

_“My partner. My husband. My wife. Cara Mia.” Nevada kissed his head again, softly._

_“And what do you propose we fill all this time with then?” Reno pressed into the kiss, turning his face just slightly, damp from the steam lifting off the water._

_“I believe I’d be content to stay exactly here.” He kissed Reno’s temple. “Unless you have any ideas.”_

_“I might have one, actually.”_

_“Oh? And what might that be?”_

_Reno pressed his fingertips gently to the stubble that lined Nevada’s cheek and turned it to him, leaning up to press soft lips to even softer lips. “Well,” he breathed against parted mouth, “I was thinking we could sell some drugs.”_

_Nevada threw his head back and laughed, long and loud, and Reno could not be more in love._


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> proofreading is for [checks smudged writing on hand] not me

Castiel woke up to a pounding headache and the smell of coffee.

“Ah, he lives!” a voice said, and Cas groggily opened one eye to see Anthony.

“Unfortunately,” Cas grumped, sitting up slowly and hissing. “I fail to see why I’m not at a hospital, since I was very obviously hit by a truck last night.” He pressed his palm against his head, eyes squeezed shut.

“I’m afraid I’m simply very cruel and enjoy seeing you suffer.” Anthony motioned to the glass of water and two ibuprofen sitting on the bedside table. “Clearly.”

“Water sounds good. Coffee sounds better.” Cas took the medicine and braced himself, opening his eyes again slowly.

Anthony walked over and sat a coffee mug on the bedside table. It said _I sexy, you sexy, He Sexy_ with the _Dr. Sexy_ logo at the bottom. “Already on it.”

Cas took a grateful sip and sighed softly. “Perfect.”

“Why, thank y—“

“No, I mean literally perfect. Did I tell you how I take my coffee last night?”

“It may have come up, yes.” Anthony paused, thinking. “Though I don’t remember _everything_ about last night, I do remember that quite clearly. Splash of milk and sugar.”

Castiel looked around the room, eyes finally landing on the bed he was in. “Did. Did I steal your bed?”

“I think so. I woke up on the couch so we must have worked something out.”

Cas tried very hard to think, finally chuckling. “Oh, I remember now. I beat you at Chutes and Ladders and therefore won the bed.”

“Makes sense.” Anthony took a sip out of his own coffee mug, which read _I’m Too Sexy For This Hospital._ “Got any plans for today?”

“I should probably let Sam know I’m alive. Spend some time with Gabriel. Beyond that, I have no idea.”

“Would you like to come on set with me?”

Cas hid his smirk. “Oh, is it already ‘bring the stranger you got drunk with and brought home’ to work day?”

Anthony laughed, hanging his head. “No, that was last week.”

“Pity.” Castiel made a big show of thinking it over, finally sighing dramatically and giving in. “I _suppose_ I shall come to work with you today. I _guess_ it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

There was something innately charming in the way Anthony smiled. “Fantastic! Filming starts in about two hours, but we need to be there early.”

“Can I bring the coffee?”

“Yes, Cassie. You can bring the coffee.”

———

James stumbled onto set, nursing a killer headache.

“Hey,” Tabry said absently, marking a few things down in their script. “You look like shit.”

James just grumbled and rested his forehead on their shoulder.

Tabry nuzzled his head with their own. “I’ve got some Tylenol in my purse if you need it.”

“Please,” he begged.

They laughed. “Well, you’re gonna have to get off me if you want me to go get it.”

“Nuh-uh. You walk, I’ll follow.”

Tabry snorted and waddled the few steps to their purse, James waddling with them. “You’re pitiful,” they chided.

“Pitiful enough to rearrange scenes so I don’t have to film for another hour?”

They booped his nose. “Not quite.”

“Damn.” He downed the medicine in one gulp.

Tabry froze with a bottle of water in their hand. “Um. Did you just take that without water?”

“I’m desperate.” He hissed as he looked around the bright set. “Where are the Shinchesters?”

“I thought we decided it was Winleys? Anyway, I don’t know. Haven’t seen them since yesterday.” They raised an eyebrow at him. “I’m guessing they’re in the same state as you, huh.”

“Likely.” He rubbed at his head. “Last thing I remember, we were walking home and Gabriel made some joke about— clones, I think? Then it gets all fuzzy.”

Tabry rolled their eyes good-naturedly. “Alright, look. We can switch around the first two scenes to film while you go make sure they didn’t screw themselves into a coma.”

James had them tight in his arms before they could react. “Thank you thank you thank you!”

“Yeah yeah, be back as soon as you can. You don’t have too long.”

James grabbed the water bottle from their hand and power-walked off.

“Hi Anthony! Hi new person! Bye Anthony! Bye new person!” he called out over his shoulder as he passed them by.

The crisp cool air felt _fantastic_ on his face as he almost-jogged to Gabriel’s trailer.

He knocked hard on the door. “Hey! Guys! Up and at ‘em!”

There wasn’t a response, so he tried the door. Locked. He stepped to the side and peered in a window, only to see the trailer looking highly un-lived-in. He pulled back and chewed on his lip in thought, then glanced over at Dean’s trailer.

“Oh, oh _duh,”_ he said to himself, jogging over and rapping on the door. “Gabe! Dean! You’re needed on set!” This door was, thankfully, unlocked.

He took a tentative step inside.

The first thing he saw was two sets of clothes strewn haphazardly across the floor. The second was a drawn curtain.

“It’s not bath time!” he called out. He listened for a rustling or a grumble or _anything,_ but there was nothing.

James frowned slightly. “Hey. You two better not have drowned in there.” It was a joke, but the moment it left his lips, he was scared.

He took a step closer and hesitated. “Look. If you two don’t make a sound right this minute I’ll have no choice but to throw this curtain back and make sure you’re both alive.”

There was nothing, and so he braced himself and threw back the curtain to find Gabriel and Dean, sleeping soundly and—

 _Oh,_ entirely naked.

James felt his cheeks grow dark as he tried and failed not to look at Gabriel’s ass, on full display as she snored on Dean, chest to chest.

“Fuck,” he whispered, before huffing and turning away. “James,” he told himself in his mother’s voice, “you do _not_ disrespect a lady. You treat her like the queen she is.” He nodded and turned back to the tub.

“Gabriel,” he whispered, shaking her shoulder slightly. “Gabriel, it’s time to wake up.”

Gabriel groaned and tried to hide her face further in Dean’s neck.

“Filming starts soon, and you both still need hair and makeup.” He pushed some of Gabriel’s still-damp hair behind her ear. “C’mon. I need you to get out of the tub so I can wake Dean up.”

Gabe finally cracked one eye open. “How soon?”

“They rearranged some scenes, so I think we have about an hour.”

Gabriel sat up. “Oh, damn. Okay. Dea—“

James clamped his hand over her mouth. “No no no, I got it.” He grinned at Gabriel, and there was something both intrigued and confused in her eyes. “You just get out of there without waking him up.”

She shrugged and climbed carefully out of the tub, grabbing a towel to catch all the water.

James very sternly averted his eyes. “Perfect, thank you.”

Gabriel laughed softly and wrapped the towel around her waist. “You can look now. I’m decent.”

He turned to look at her and had to stifle a laugh. “You’re an Amazon warrior now, I see.”

Gabriel looked down at her chest and had to turn away to keep from waking Dean with her laughs. “Oh god, where did it go?”

James turned back to the tub. “Oh, there it is.”

One of Gabriel’s silicone boobs was floating in the water. She leaned over and grabbed it, turning it over. “Huh. Good to know they _do_ come off after all.”

James nodded once. “Alright, stand back. Time to wake up Dean.”

She made a ‘be my guest’ motion.

“Sorry Dean,” he said, before turning freezing water on and yelling, “WAKE UP YOU PANSY!!!”

Dean was up in a _heartbeat,_ slipping over himself in his desperate scrambling to get out.

James and Gabe were both laughing as he collapsed in the floor, shivering.

“What— the— _HELL?!”_ Dean chattered out, curling in on himself. “What is your _PROBLEM?!”_

“Eh, my turn in the prank war.” James shot him an evil grin. “Also, you’re needed on set.”

“Fuck,” Dean groaned, pressing his forehead to the floor. “Wh—Why isn’t _he_ being tortured, too?”

Gabriel grinned at him and crouched beside him, petting his hair back. “Aww, babe. Didn’t you hear? I’m a classy lady.”

Dean glared at her and turned onto his back, staring at the ceiling. “James, your gay not-gay crush on my wife is going to kill me.”

James shrugged, tossing a towel at Dean’s crotch. “Hey, that leaves her open for a new husband. AKA, me.”

Dean closed his eyes and laughed. “This sounds like an episode of Scooby-Doo.”

“Maybe your rewrite of it.”

Gabriel raised an eyebrow at Dean. “You rewrote Scooby-Doo?”

James grinned wide. “Did you not tell her about Scooby Doo and the Rainbow Crew?”

Gabriel covered her mouth, trying not to laugh. “Scooby Doo and the _Rainbow Crew?”_

Dean stood up, wrapping the towel around his waist. “Other working title: _Those Meddling Gays_. It’s Scooby-Doo, but Daphne is dating Velma and Shaggy is aro-ace and Fred is a raging bisexual who always finds out the person he slept with is the real villain.” He shrugged. “Fred and Shaggy are also queer-platonic partners with a healthy open relationship.”

“And Scooby?”

“Their straight friend.”

Gabriel leaned against the wall, laughing hard. “You _cannot_ convince me Scoobert Doobert is straight.”

Dean opened the closet, searching for clothes. “I don’t have to justify my creative decisions to you.”

James leaned beside Gabriel, arms crossed. “I tried to tell him the same thing,” he said, sighing. “Dean just doesn’t listen to reason.”

Dean poked his head out of the closet. “No, I don’t listen to _you two.”_ He scowled. “Aren’t we like, late for something anyway?”

“Oh, fuck,” Gabriel said, suddenly remembering. “Hey scoot over, I need clothes too.”

Dean used his butt to push Gabe away. “First off, you need to decide if you’re wearing boobs or not.”

“I dunno. Kinda digging the uniboob.”

“Second off, there is not room for you in here.”

“Aww Byron, there’s room in the closet for both of us.”

Dean poked his head out, one eyebrow raised, unamused. “Actually, I don’t think there’s room in the closet for _either_ of us.”

Gabe crossed her arms in thought. “I guess you’re right. However, it looks like it has the _perfect_ amount of room for James.” She tossed a grin over her shoulder at him.

James looked away. “Joke acknowledged and ignored.”

“Ah, that’s right. You’re straight as long as you can call me a woman, right?”

“Ignoring you.”

“Aw, that’s not very gentleman-like of you. Ignoring a lady.”

Dean called out, “Don’t let Gabe get to you, James! Even if he _is_ a woman, he certainly isn’t a _lady.”_

Gabriel nodded sagely. “That’s true; I’ve never minded my manners in my life.” She pressed her fist against her chin, thinking. “Though, I’m not sure how I feel about someone using my complete personal disregard of pronouns to ensure straight-ness. Feels a bit like it goes against my very gay, very anarchical morals.”

Dean snorted. “You don’t have morals.”

“Also true.”

James looked like he was caught between a gay bar and a gay strip club. “Um.”

Gabriel saw his expression and laughed, reaching out to pinch his cheek. “I’m kidding,” she promised. “Call me whatever makes you comfy.”

James did his absolute best to play it cool. “I could call you mine.”

Gabe froze a second before a wide grin spread across her face and she laughed. “Dean, you didn’t tell me your friend was so smooth.”

“He isn’t,” Dean called out, finally emerging with two sets of clothes. “He just steals lines from the show.”

James threw his arms out. “Some wingman you are!”

“She’s my wife,” Dean deadpanned, handing Gabe a set of clothes.

James examined his face. “Dean, if you want me to stop I will.”

Dean snorted, dropping his towel and pulling on some boxers. “I really couldn’t care less,” he promised. “I’m just saying—“ He reached out and smoothed down James’s shirt collar, smirking, “it’s more of a two-for-one deal.”

James looked between the two of them, wide-eyed and panicked for a moment before seeing the joke in their eyes and groaning. “You know what? Fuck both of you.”

Gabe couldn’t help her teasing, “Is that an offer?”

James pointed at her, face tinged red. “I’m using he/him pronouns for you now because I’m done flirting with you for today.”

“Booooo,” Gabe called out, buttoning his shirt. “Can’t even flirt with me for just a bit longer and get me some coffee?”

James crossed his arms, pouting. “I’ll get you some coffee but it’s not because I’m flirting with you.”

Gabriel’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Of course not.”

———

“Sorry we’re late,” Dean whispered to Tabry, sliding into his chair beside theirs.

“Long night?” they whispered back, eyes on the scene being acted out.

“Felt more like two.” He watched as Dr. Sexy performed surgery on a patient who was definitely not going to make it. “Is Arissa around here anywhere?”

“She’s in her studio. I’ll send you and Gabe in there when we reset this scene.”

“Good, because Gabe’s got a bit of a problem.”

They turned towards him, eyebrows furrowed, before they caught sight of Gabe and laughed aloud.

Someone yelled “Cut!” at the sound and the actors stretched.

Gabe crossed his arms over his chest. “Yeah, yeah. I know. Amazon warrior.”

“Sorry, sorry,” Tabry giggled. “No offense.”

“Offense taken.”

“I think Arissa knows how to get that off,” Tabry said, biting back their laugh. “You look stunning.”

“Shut it.”

They shook their head, grinning. “You _know_ it’s only funny because it’s fixable, right?”

“Your mouth? Needs shut.”

Tabry waved their hand. “Go to Arissa, both of you. Your scene is coming up soon.”

Dean patted their shoulder. “Thanks, you’re a doll.”

“Mmhm.”

Tabry watched them go, and Abby leaned onto their chair arm. “Dude, imagine being able to just detach your boobs.”

Tabry sighed at the thought. “What a wonderful world that would be.”

———

“Three, two… action.”

_Dr. Sexy sat outside in the cold, head in his sexy hands, hunched in on himself._

_There were the sounds of footsteps, and then someone sat beside him._

_“Are you okay?” came the deep, smooth voice of Nevada._

_Antonio looked up at him, at the way the few falling snowflakes rested on his short, soft hair. “I’m fine,” he lied._

_Nevada raised one eyebrow at him. “I can tell when someone is fine. You, my friend, are not.”_

_Antonio sighed and sat back, staring up at the night sky. “I lost another patient today.”_

_Nevada let out a breath that formed a small cloud. “I hear you’ve been losing a lot lately.”_

_Antonio turned sharply to him. “What is that supposed to mean?”_

_Nevada didn’t budge, simply pinning him down with an even stare. “You are a world-renowned surgeon, Doctor. These cannot all be faults of your hand.”_

_“I’d like to think they aren’t. But truthfully, I feel as if every death in this hospital is because of me.”_

_Nevada sat back and crossed his arms, eyes closing. “Don’t think yourself so powerful, Doctor,” he said firmly. “Even you cannot be responsible for such a thing as death. If it has latched onto someone, there is nothing that can save them.”_

_“That is a dangerous line of thought for a doctor to have.”_

_“Perhaps. Personally, I find it is the only way I can remain sane.”_

_Antonio cast him a curious look. “What hospital did you used to work at?”_

_Nevada froze a moment before gracing him with a soft smile. “I didn’t.”_

_“But you’re a doctor.”_

_“I am.” He stretched his legs out. “I was in the military.”_

_“…Oh.”_

_“I wasn’t in any war, before you ask. I was a field doctor for a unit that specialized in dismantling active mines left behind from past wars. If and when things would go wrong on their end, I’d be in charge of cleaning up the mess.” He shook his head. “I don’t think I need to tell you that stepping on a mine often leaves a mess that no one can clean up.”_

_“I’m sor—“_

_“Unless you laid the mines yourself, I do not wish to hear an apology from you.” Nevada fixed him with a hard stare that froze Antonio to his seat. “What I want from you is to understand that death comes swiftly, and it is an insult to those_ **_actually_ ** _responsible to say it is your fault it comes at all.”_

_Antonio found he could not look away._

_“You said there seems to be a new, lethal drug on the market, yes? Why don’t you leave the ‘glory’ of these deaths to those who made it, and you can just focus on doing your job.”_

_There was no room for argument in his words, and Antonio swallowed harshly and nodded. “Okay.”_

_Nevada smiled at him and patted his shoulder, standing up as he did so. “There. Absolved of your guilt. Would you mind coming inside with me and sharing some coffee? It’s freezing out here.”_

_Antonio reached out and took the offered hand, letting himself be pulled face to face with Nevada._

_Nevada smirked. “Unless, of course, you’re more into hot chocolate.”_

_Dr. Sexy licked his own lips nervously. “Actually, I’m into both.”_

_A decision was made in Nevada’s eyes, and they turned dark and alluring. “Wonderful,” he purred, and they stepped into the warm hospital._

_And when Nevada’s hand slipped out of Antonio’s, Dr. Sexy tried not to mourn the loss._


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure what to leave as a note this time so: howdy

Sam stepped out of the cafe, warm coffee and a pastry in his hands.

It was a cute pastry, all shaped like a heart and jelly-filled. There was a deep part of him that desperately wanted to share it with Jessica.

He… missed her more than he expected. Sure, he already knew he’d miss her a _lot._ He didn’t realize it would feel like his heart was a million miles away, though.

It was cold outside, cold enough that he had planned to just go back to the hotel room. But instead he sat down at a metal table outside, the chair freezing his ass. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number after a few tries with shaking hands.

“Hello?”

Sam let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “Hey, babe.”

“Hey.” There was a smile in Jess’s voice. “What’s up?”

“Not much. Freezing my ass off. What’s up with you?”

“Mom and Dad are towing Posie around in a floatie in the pool. They’re smitten.”

“She _is_ their first grandkid. It makes sense.”

“It’s very cute.” She sighed. “So, how’s Canada?”

“It’s…” Sam looked at the pastry in his hands, “honestly? It sucks without you.”

“Yeah,” she whispered back. “Same here.”

He tapped his fingers against the paper coffee cup. “What if I just meet you there?”

“Aren’t you… stuck there?”

“I love Dean. Don’t get me wrong. And I love Cas, too, and that’s why I’m here. But I’m kind of ready to say fuck them and just go home.”

The background noises faded away, and then there was a sound of a door closing. “How would you get here?”

“I was thinking I’d drive Baby. Or fly. Whichever Cas doesn’t wanna do.” Sam shivered. “He’s a big kid. He can go home when he’s good and ready.”

“Don’t you get my hopes up, Samuel Winchester.”

Sam laughed, and his heart ached. “I think at this point I’d brave walking to you.”

“Cali’s a pretty far walk.”

“Not if you’re at the other end.” He cleared his throat and glanced around. “You think your parents would be okay if I swung by?”

“Sam, you know they love you.”

“They love _you._ They tolerate me.” He pulled at the label on the cup. “I know I said I wasn’t going to come so you could have family time but I just— I miss you. And Posie. And—“

“Babe,” Jess interrupted softly. “We’d all love if you came by.”

He breathed out. “Okay. Okay. I’ll let Cas know.”

“You’re sure, though? You don’t get to hang out with your boys a lot.”

Sam shrugged, then realized she couldn’t see him. “I’d rather hang out with you, honestly.”

“I’m your boys?” she teased.

“Yeah. You and Posie. My boys.”

She laughed softly, and it was the most beautiful sound he had heard in ages. “Alright, then hurry up and get your cute butt here.”

“I’ll pack my stuff up the moment I get back.” Sam looked up at the sky. “Looks kind of like a storm. I’ll be quick about it.”

“Be careful.”

“Always am.” He closed his eyes. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, babe.”

He stayed on the line a moment, just to keep the connection, before the dial tone rang out and the call ended. He let out the breath he had been holding and called Castiel.

It rang a few times before going to voicemail, and Sam hung up.

**_[Sam] 4:18pm_ ** _hey, I’m heading out today. Want me to take the car or leave it for you to take?_

**_[Cas] 4:18pm_ ** _sorry, couldn’t answer. On set. Everything okay?_

**_[Sam] 4:18pm_ ** _yeah, just miss the family._

**_[Cas] 4:18pm_ ** _I see. Haven’t you always wanted to drive the car on your own? Go ahead and take the car, I can fly home._

**_[Sam] 4:19pm_ ** _thanks_

**_[Cas] 4:19pm_ ** _are you going to swing by the set before you leave, or should I let Dean and Gabe know?_

**_[Sam] 4:19pm_ ** _I’ll swing by in like ten minutes. I’m trying to speed out of here._

**_[Cas] 4:19pm_ ** _alright, if you go to the trailers I can lead you to the set_

**_[Sam] 4:20pm_ ** _cool, see ya there_

———

_The heel of Reno’s Oxfords clacked against the hospital floors as he flicked through a clipboard, looking for a room._

_“Where are you,” he mumbled to himself, glancing up just in time to see Nevada rounding the corner._

_They passed each other without a word. Reno kept flicking through his papers, like he barely noticed._

_In fact, he was so focused on Not Noticing that he ran directly into Surgeon James, papers scattering around._

_“I’m sorry,” James said, leaning down to pick up the scattered pieces._

_He did not see the smirk on Reno’s face, that morphed quickly to thankfulness as James handed him the papers._

_“Thank you,” Reno said, shuffling them back into order. “I should’ve been watching where I was going.”_

_“Happens to the best of us.” James put his hands in his pockets and shrugged awkwardly, then made to walk away._

_“Well, hold on,” Reno called out after him. “Would you like to make our rounds together?”_

_“I’m actually about to go lay down for a while.”_

_“Care for some company?”_

_“I’d rather be alone.”_

_Reno switched tactics, furrowing his eyebrows and tilting his head to the side. “Is everything okay?”_

_“Workplace drama,” James replied tersely._

_Reno stepped beside him, just inside his personal space. “Perhaps getting it off your chest will help?”_

_“Why are you so insistent upon talking to me?”_

_“I find you attractive,” Reno deadpanned back._

_James stared at him silently. “…Oh.”_

_“Is that an issue?”_

_James swallowed harshly and looked away. “No.”_

_“Will you allow me to simply talk to you?”_

_“I… yes. I just—“ he sighed, and Reno knew he had won. “It’s just_ **_Antonio._ ** _He says he cares but then he— I don’t know.”_

_“His actions speak differently than his words?”_

_James pursed his lips. “I saw him flirting with Nevada today.” He side-eyed Reno. “Aren’t you with Nevada?”_

_“I barely know the man,” Reno answered immediately._

_“Sure.” James ran a hand through his own hair. “We’ve always had this sort of… on again off again relationship. I don’t know why this bothers me so much.”_

_“Has anything big happened in your life recently?”_

_“Well, yeah.” James looked away. “I… I lost my best friend.”_

_“Then perhaps you have simply… grown. And what once felt commonplace and made sense just doesn’t anymore.” Reno began walking towards the break room, and James followed. “What is it that you love about Antonio?”_

_“I… love his dedication. But I think I hate it, too.”_

_“Then I’m not sure we can mark that down as something you love about him.”_

_James scowled. “I don’t know. What am I_ **_supposed_ ** _to love about him? His smile? His charm? I’m angry with him at the moment.”_

_“Anger can sometimes make us forget what it is we love about someone.”_

_“Yeah.” James sighed. “I guess it’s doing me no good to be mad about it, huh?”_

_Reno held up his hands lightly. “Your words, not mine.”_

_“I just—“ James looked at Reno, studied him, stared. Stared. Stared—_

“Fuck— line!” James called out.

 _“I just don’t know how I feel anymore,”_ someone yelled back to him.

Bryan clapped his hands. “Actually, let’s take a break. Meet back up in fifteen.”

The silence in the studio immediately broke, with gentle chattering and people walking around.

James stretched his arms, then his back, pausing in his turning. “Hey, isn’t that your brother?”

“Hmm?” Gabriel turned to see Castiel laughing softly at something Sam was saying. “Oh, yeah. When did they get here?”

James looked at Castiel, mouthed the word ‘they’ to himself, as if to remember, and nodded his head in confirmation. “Must’ve been while we were filming.”

Sam waved to Gabriel, and he walked over to the small group. “What’s up?”

Dean jerked his head towards Sam. “Samantha here is headed out.”

Gabe looked to Cas, who shook his head. “I’m staying for a while longer. Sam will be taking the car, and I’ll be flying home.”

Gabe rubbed awkwardly at the back of his neck. “I was about to say, we haven’t really gotten to hang out any like you were hoping.”

“There’s time tonight, when filming is over.”

He nodded once and turned to Sam. “Well, I hate to see ya go, but I do love to watch you leave.”

Sam snorted and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I’m sure you do.” He pulled Gabe in for a surprise hug. “It was nice hanging out with you.”

Gabriel patted his back in mild confusion. “Oh. Um, yeah. You too, man.”

Sam pulled back and looked at Gabe rather expectantly.

“Um, what?”

He blinked in surprise. “Oh. I just thought you were gonna kiss me.”

A grin split Gabe’s face. “Well if you _insist—“_ Without so much as a warning, Gabe jumped onto Sam and kissed him, legs tight around his waist.

Sam laughed against his mouth and fell back a few steps, crashing into the wall.

“You have competition,” Castiel whispered to Dean.

“For what? Spider monkey kisses? I think I’m okay,” Dean joked back.

Sam finally managed to turn his face away, giggling. “Your face is really soft,” he informed Gabe, who immediately lit up.

“Thank you! They waxed it!”

Sam winced in sympathy. “Ouch.”

“Yep.” He peppered a few more kisses on Sam’s lips. “You make sure to call me, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Sam responded, rolling his eyes.

“I mean it, let us know you got home okay.”

Sam held up one hand, eyebrow raised. “I solemnly swear.” He tried and failed to disentangle himself from Gabriel. “Dude, let me go,” he laughed.

“Nah. I’m pretty comfy.” He pressed his cheek to Sam’s shoulder. “Think I might take a nap.”

“Then you’ll be coming home with me.”

Gabriel feigned a scandalized gasp. _“Samuel,”_ he whispered dramatically. “With Dean standing _right there?”_

“Steal you from right under his nose,” Sam teased back.

“Deeeaaannn!” Gabe called out, leaning back and hanging off of Sam. “Your brother is trying to proposition me!”

Dean snorted. “With _that_ height difference?”

“…fair.” Gabriel let his legs fall down to the floor. “You get out of it this time, but next time you won’t be so lucky,” he warned Sam.

Sam’s eyes were sparkling with mirth. “Woe is me.”

Dean clapped Sam on the shoulder. “See ya around, Samantha. Don’t be a stranger.”

“What— that’s it? Sure seems like Gabriel is sadder to see me go than you are.”

Dean held Sam’s face and gave it something between a pat and a bitch slap. “Not gonna kiss you goodbye, Samantha,” Dean said fondly. “Am gonna miss you, though.”

He rolled his eyes. “Yeah. I’ll miss you, too. Take care. Be nice to Gabriel.”

“I’ll be nice to _him_ if he’s nice to _me.”_ Dean grinned at him. “Drive safe. Love you, bitch.”

“Love you, too, jerk.”

Cas gave them a small smile. “I’ll walk you to your car,” he told Sam.

“Thanks.” Sam waved at Dean and Gabe. “I’ll see you guys later. Love y’all.”

Gabriel waved back enthusiastically while Dean waved back like it physically pained him.

When Sam and Cas disappeared from view, Gabe shouldered Dean. “You gonna be okay?”

Dean cleared his throat. “What makes you think I’m not okay?”

Gabriel gave him a Look.

“…I’ll be fine.”

“You need a hug?”

Dean scowled and crossed his arms, but stepped into Gabriel’s space, anyway. Gabe wrapped him up in his arms and kissed his cheek.

“Hate telling him goodbye,” Dean grumbled, frowning.

“I know, babe.” Gabe pressed his chin to Dean’s chest. “Really dreading telling Cas bye, too.”

“Well, I’ll just tell ya now, it never gets any easier.” Dean shifted against him. “Huh, guess he couldn’t tell me bye, either.”

“Huh?” Gabe looked up to see Sam and Cas headed back towards them, Cas in the lead. “Back for more?” he called out to Sam.

Castiel stopped before them, chin high and eyes defiant. “There’s a tornado,” he announced clearly.

Sam shook his head, phone in hand. “I keep telling him there aren’t any warnings or watches out, but he took one step outside and _insisted.”_

Gabriel and Castiel were staring at each other, communicating silently. Dean felt Gabe’s hand fist his shirt tightly. “Okay,” Gabe whispered.

Almost immediately, every phone in the room went off.

“Ah, fuck,” someone said, before calling out, “Alright! Everyone to shelter!”

Sam stared at Castiel in something akin to awe. “How did you—?”

“It’s the way the air feels,” Cas responded with conviction. “I don’t think it’s headed our way, but you still should not be out on the roads.”

Sam ran a hand through his hair. “Warning lasts for the next forty minutes.”

“Then you get the pleasure of our company for almost another hour.” Castiel looked around at everyone filing one direction, with the exception of Anthony, who was headed his way.

“You okay?” Anthony asked when he was close enough.

“Of course,” Cas responded lightly. “Are you here to accompany me to shelter?”

“I— yeah,” he admitted. “It’s this way. We’ve gotten a few tornadoes come through, so it’s nothing new.”

Castiel linked his arm through Anthony’s, catching him entirely off-guard. “Well, then lead the way.”

Anthony nodded and motioned for everyone to follow him. Sam walked with him, typing out something to Jess.

Gabriel stayed frozen to his spot.

“Babe,” Dean whispered. “We gotta move.”

His fists tightened in Dean’s shirt.

“Do I need to carry you?” he asked softly.

Gabe squeezed his eyes shut and nodded.

Dean leaned down and picked him up easily, one arm under his back and the other under his knees. Gabriel’s face was buried in his chest.

“Hey,” Dean whispered to him gently. “Remember what we said? When you can’t trust yourself?” He followed the crowd, staying far enough back that no one noticed them. They passed outside for a moment, in transit between two buildings.

The thunder rolled, and Gabriel flinched.

“You gotta trust me, babe,” Dean told him calmly, conversationally. “I know you’re scared. But I’m here.”

“What the fuck are you gonna do?” Gabriel managed shakily.

“Whatever I can.” Dean raised one eyebrow, shouldering the next door open. “I’ll seduce the tornado.”

Gabriel laughed, and it was shaky and unsure, but it was a start.

“Really doubt my ass can handle it, but dammit if I don’t try anyway.”

“You think the torn— You think it’s a top?”

“Well, if it’s a bottom then it’s gonna be pretty disappointed.”

Gabe took in a deep breath and let it out. “Okay.”

“Wh— _Okay?!_ You’re supposed to tell me I’m wrong, babe! ‘No babe, you’re not a disappointing top!’ ‘Your dick could _totally_ satisfy Mother Nature!’ Geez, you sure know how to make a guy feel inferior.”

Gabriel was giggling softly when they entered the shelter.

“You two are the last ones, so bolt the door behind you,” Bryan told them.

Gabe reached out and did as he was told, and when he looked back, everyone was staring at him with mild concern.

“You okay?” James asked softly.

Gabriel couldn’t think of a good excuse for Dean to be carrying him around, but luckily, he didn’t have to.

Dean huffed. “This idiot here pulled a muscle jumping on my brother.”

There were a few snickers, and Dean sat Gabriel down gently beside Castiel.

“Forty minutes,” Castiel sighed. “What are we going to do?”

James sat in front of them. “Sorry, couldn’t help but overhear— how about a game?”

Sam studied him suspiciously. “What kind of game?”

“Well…” James shot him a grin. “How are you all at Taboo?”

———

Gabriel’s hands were out desperately. “THE THING!” he shouted at Anthony. “THE THING WITH THE STRIPES AND IT’S IN THAT RUDYARD KIPLING THING!”

“Jungle Book?” Anthony tried, eyeing the timer nervously.

“THE THING IN THAT THING WITH THE STRIPES AND THE FIRE AND THE DEATH!”

“TIGER!” Anthony called out.

“YES!” Gabriel threw that card far away, grabbing another. “THE THING LIKE A FRIDGE BUT COLDER!”

“FREEZER!”

“YES! UH WHEN YOU— WHEN YOU USE AN ELEVATOR!”

“Um… mall! Up? Buttons?”

“FUCK! WHEN YOU— WHEN YOU’RE EATING IT LIKE GROCERIES!”

Everyone was laughing hysterically as Anthony’s face got red. “ASS? VAGINA?”

“IT’S A DIRECTION!”

“UP? DOWN? GOING DOWN!!!”

“YES! WHEN YOU—“

Dean stole the card from him. “Time’s up!” he announced.

Gabe flopped back dramatically. “How many points was that?”

“Seven.”

“Not bad.”

“Who’s next?” Dean called out.

James and Tabry raised their hands, and Gabe passed the deck to them.

“Aaaaand, go!”

Tabry drew the first card. “Oh! A big fight!”

“Brawl! Battle! Gangs!”

“Not trek but—“

“Stars? Oh, war!”

“Yes! Umm, they always remember!”

“Mattresses?”

“Oh god,” Tabry groaned. “No! A blank never forgets!” They stared at the blank look in his eyes. “You know! The animal! With the— face horns and the—“ They mimed a trunk with their arm.

“Elephant!”

“Yes! Uh— Valentine’s Day!”

“Gross? Pink? Chocolate?”

“The month!”

“Uh.” James winced. “December?”

“What the— no! Ah fuck um…” They snapped their fingers. “Your history month!”

“My history month?” His eyes lit up. “Oh! February!”

“Yes! Um, it’s a breakfast and it sucks but old people like it!”

“Oatmeal?”

“Yes! These are like pictures but you can put them places!”

James shrugged.

“They give me anxiety because they’re permanent and you have to choose where you put them carefully.”

“Stickers?”

“Yes! Um, danger noodle!”

“Snake!”

“Yes! OH! YOU PLAY THIS!”

“Doctor?!”

“BUT MORE SPECIFICALLY?”

“SURGEON!”

“YES! THIS IS—“

“Time!” Gabriel happily took the cards from them. “You got seven.”

“Catchin’ up to ya,” Tabry said, grinning. They took the cards and gave them to Bryan and Abby.

Dean watched as Gabe listened with rapt attention, laughing and checking over Abby’s shoulder to make sure she wasn’t cheating.

Thunder rolled outside, and Gabriel didn’t even hear it.

“He’s doing okay,” Cas whispered to Dean, making him jump.

“Yeah. He is. Just needed to get his mind focused on something else.”

Castiel sighed and patted his shoulder. “You’re good for him. You know that?”

Dean watched as Gabriel fell out giggling at something Abby had used as a clue. “He’s good for me, too.”

Castiel looked on as well, something shifting in his expression, becoming softer. “He’ll be okay without me.”

“But will you be okay without him?”

“I’m not sure, honestly. But… I think I will be. It will take time, but I’ll get there.”

Gabriel called out time and cheered at the fact that Abby and Bryan only got six. “Cassie and Anthony next!”

“You’re going down,” Anthony promised Gabe, who stuck his tongue out in response.

Dean gave Cas a curious look. “Yeah. You’re gonna be okay.”

Anthony held out his hand for the deck of cards, and Dean was the only one who caught the soft smile on Castiel’s lips.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry I'm a day late my brain refused to write the thing  
> also I have an undercut now which is unrelated to anything here at all I just wanted to share

Dean held his hand out, and Gabriel took it gladly, stepping out of the shelter. His eyes cast about nervously, looking for damage, but there was none. The tornado had never even touched down.

“What did I tell ya?” Dean joked lightly.

“You had nothing to do with it,” Gabe scowled back, even as he gripped Dean’s hand tighter.

“That was an experience,” Cas said lightly, standing beside Gabriel. He looked back at Anthony. “Are you done filming for today?”

Anthony looked back into the shelter. “Hey, Bryan! Are we calling it today or are we going back in there?”

Bryan waved a hand. “I’m calling it. We might just have to work a bit over tomorrow to make up for it.”

Anthony nodded and turned back to Cas. “Looks like I’m free.”

“Well then, I don’t know about you, or Dean, but I _do_ know about _you,”_ he gave Gabriel a pointed look, “and I think we should all do something relaxing to center ourselves.”

Gabe crinkled his nose. “Center ourselves? Don’t tell me you’re back on the yoga thing.”

“I never stopped, but thank you for your continued support.” He turned back to the door. “Sam! Are you heading out now?”

Sam ducked his head as he exited, joining the small group. “Yeah, weather and roads are clear.”

“Are we doing goodbyes again?” Gabe asked, absolutely ready to jump right back onto him.

Sam held up his hands in defense. “Nope! No more goodbyes, I’ll just see myself out.”

“Boooooooo!”

Sam looked at Cas, and something mischievous must have passed between them, because he leaned in and kissed Castiel goodbye.

Gabriel made a very frustrated, very annoyed noise. “Why does _he_ get a goodbye kiss and I don’t?!?!”

Sam shrugged. “I like him better.” He gave a finger wave as he backed away, grinning at the appalled look on Gabriel’s face. “See you guys later!”

“Call when you get home!” Dean yelled after him. He scowled as Sam ignored him and jogged quickly out of sight. “Damn kids.”

“He loves me,” Gabriel said to himself, nodding.

Dean raised an eyebrow at Cas. “So, what were you thinking for ‘grounding ourselves’? Some sunset meditation? A walk in the park? Oh, I know! Petting a dog.”

“I was thinking more along the lines of ‘recreational drug use’, but, sure. We can go pet a dog instead.”

Dean could not stop the slow grin that spread across his face. “And here I thought I would never see the day.”

“Oh, I’ve partaken many times. Whether or not I did so in your company is a different story entirely.”

Dean looked highly offended, even as Anthony covered his mouth to keep from laughing. “I invited you over _so many times_ to smoke — yeah, smoke, the word you’re looking for is _smoke_ weed!”

“Yes. And I declined.”

Dean stood there a moment, winced, and finally said, “I think I just took psychic damage from that.”

Castiel couldn’t help his little smirk. “You know, you’re supposed to tap out when your base stat reaches zero.”

“I feel like I’m being insulted.”

“You are.”

“I can already tell you’re gonna be fun to get high with.” Dean clapped his shoulder. “Alright, who else is in?”

Gabe stuck his hand high in the air. “Me!”

“Mhmm. And who is going to be responsible for whatever you manage to steal?”

Gabe winked at Anthony. “Aw, I’m only after hearts tonight.”

“They _do_ go for a solid mil on the black market,” Dean mused.

“I didn’t—“ Gabe balked. “What really?”

“Yeah. Usually more, since it _is_ the black market and you’re paying for no strings.”

“Why do you know that.”

“It’s my job to know that.”

“No, your job is to know about _drugs_ and _acting.”_

Dean shrugged absently. “Eh. You know. I was toying with a plot line involving a drug that preserved internal organs for selling.”

Anthony shot them both a grin, resting his arms around their shoulders. “Incredible, I don’t see any way tonight could go horribly wrong.”

Dean crossed his arms. “I didn’t _make_ the drug. Well, not in any actually harmful capacity. Well—“

Gabriel laughed incredulously, face red. “Babe, where do you _hide_ this stuff? I’ve been in every room in your house.”

Dean pursed his lips, slipping out from under Anthony’s arm. “I think if I have a secret lair somewhere in my house, that’s my own business.”

Castiel was laughing quietly behind them, hand against his forehead. “A _lair?”_

“Normal people have lairs!”

“Normal people have _man caves_ and _workrooms._ _Evil scientists_ have lairs.”

Gabriel was struggling somewhere between laughing and being pissed off. “What do you keep in this super secret special room that I’m not allowed in, huh?”

Dean grumbled something unintelligible.

“I can’t hear you.”

“I said mostly projects for you.” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, face red. “Forget it. You’ll never find it, anyway.”

There was that look again, confused and awed and a bit panicked. “Dumbass,” Gabriel said fondly. “Nowhere I’ll find it, huh? Because it’s somewhere I never frequent, I’m assuming.”

Dean pointed in the general direction of their trailers. “We should go get high before you figure it out.”

“Too late! I know where it’s at.”

“Doubtful.”

“Behind your bookshelf.”

Dean buffered. “Um.”

“Yeah, called it. You’re just the type of nerd to have a book open a secret passage, and you know I never reread a book.”

Anthony raised his eyebrows. “What, _never?_ Not even your favorite?”

“Eh,” Gabe shrugged. “I had to read the same book over and over again. Kinda made rereading anything lose its flavor.”

“Let me guess: it was _The Great Gatsby.”_

“Sure. Anyway. You coming, too?”

“What, and spend _more_ time with your brother?” He shot a small smile at Castiel, which was returned. “I suppose I could be persuaded.”

Gabriel nodded sagely. “He’s a pretty cool little dude.”

“Thanks?” Cas ventured.

“You’re welcome, Cassie.” Gabriel linked his arm through Dean’s. “Well, we’ve got a crew, something tells me _you_ have weed already which— we really did intend to come here on a plane so I have a few _questions_ for you— and all we need is to be _not here._ So let’s do that.”

“Did you wanna invite your boyfriend?” Dean teased.

Gabriel gave him a strange look, glancing momentarily at Anthony. “Um. You’re hosting this shindig?”

Dean’s eyes went wide with a warning look, but Anthony simply chuckled. “Gabriel’s right, Dean. It would be rude for a guest to invite someone to a party.”

Dean mouthed _James_ to Gabriel, whose lips parted in an ‘oh’. “I saw him go off with Tabry and Abby. They’re having some sort of game night.”

Anthony began walking, trusting the others to fall in step beside him. _“Not that it’s any of our business,”_ Anthony began slyly, “but Tabry and Abby would be cute together, right?”

“Which ones were Tabry and Abby?” Cas asked, slipping his hand into Anthony’s.

Gabriel fell in step on the other side of Anthony, oblivious, dragging Dean with him. “Tabry is the one with the bob and the bangs, and Abby is the one with the shaved side and the nose ring.”

“Oh!” Recognition flashed in Castiel’s eyes. “I honestly thought they were already together, or else very close friends. They seem very comfortable with each other.”

“So,” Dean began, eager to fill them in, “when Tabry started working here, they were the first nonbinary person on staff, _and_ on the show. They were nervous. Obviously. Abby took one look at them, stood up from the writing table, and declared herself deeply in love with this ‘cosmic creation of universal good’. That was the first and _only_ time I have seen Tabry smile. They’ve been best friends ever since.”

“I think I need to hang out with Abby,” Gabriel said, smiling wide. “It’s no wonder her and James get along.”

“James just—“ Dean made some motion with his hands. “He _fits._ You place him in any group and he can just chameleon himself right in. I mean, unless you drop him in a group he hates but— you know. You get the idea.”

“Interesting,” Castiel mused, like that fact meant something to him. “Remind me to speak with him before I leave.”

“Sure. Cas— I mean, what do you even _do_ when you get high?” Dean craned forward to look at him. “Cry about honey?”

“I usually watch Hallmark movies and cry into my ice cream, so you’re not too far off.”

“You like _Hallmark_ movies?”

Castiel gave him a very amused look. “Just because I am aromantic does not mean I cannot _appreciate_ romance. It’s… sweet. I like seeing people fall in love.”

“You _just_ said Hallmark movies make you cry.”

“I thought it was obvious I was joking.” Cas grinned at the scowl on Dean’s face. “Hallmark doesn’t make me cry. But _About Time_ makes me cry every time, so it’s not impossible.”

“Haven’t seen that one,” Gabriel said, causing a loud, insulted gasp from both Dean and Castiel.

“How have you not _shown him?!”_ they asked each other simultaneously.

Gabriel laughed. “Anthony, please be on my side.” He waited a moment. _“Anthony.”_

“Oh, sorry. What was the question?”

Gabe rolled his eyes. “You zoning out already?”

“I— Uh, I guess so. What are we talking about?”

_“About Time.”_

“Oh, that’s a wonderful movie. It watches like well-written fanfiction.”

Dean choked on air as Gabriel’s eyes sparkled. “You read _fanfiction?!”_

“Perhaps I shouldn’t have said anything…”

“Nooo no no no no, I’m gonna need _all_ of your recs. Immediately.”

Anthony rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly with his free hand. “That’s gonna take a while…”

Gabriel made some highly-gleeful noise while Castiel whispered, “If he ever bugs you, you can just ignore him. I do sometimes.”

 _“Cassie,”_ Anthony admonished playfully, just as quiet.

Cas winked at him, like they now had an inside joke, and Anthony promptly tripped over his own feet.

“Woah woah, hey, take it easy,” Dean said soothingly, helping Anthony to his feet. “What did you even trip over?”

“I uh— I don’t know. Just stepped wrong, I guess.” Anthony winced, craning his head to see his elbow. “Ah, damn.”

“I’ve got a first aid kit in Baby. We’re almost there.” Dean frowned at the scraped elbow. “You gotta be more careful, man.”

“Yeah, I’ll—“ he glanced at Castiel, then looked quickly away, “I’ll be more careful.”

“Uh-huh.” Dean suddenly stopped and facepalmed. “Oh god. I’m an idiot. Sam has Baby.”

“I have a first aid kit in my bag at the hotel,” Castiel offered. “It’s within walking distance. Anthony and I will meet you two back here soon.” He turned to Anthony. “That is, of course, if you would like to accompany me to my hotel room.”

Anthony had a very pained expression on his face, and Cas worried that the wound was worse than it appeared. “I uh. I don’t know if I should drip blood all along the sidewalks between here and there.”

Dean nodded, arms crossed. “I second that. That’s gotta be some sort of biohazard. Not to _mention_ the hotel lobby and the carpets and— ugh. The cleaning crew would hate you.”

Gabriel looked between them all, exasperated. “So, what? We make him wait _twice_ as long for a fucking bandaid? Just go with Cas. We’ll see you two when you get back. Look—“ he took his own shirt hem in his teeth and ripped a strip off. “There. Just tie this _loosely_ around your elbow. Not a tourniquet, just a bandage. For now.”

Castiel gave Anthony a pointed look. “Well, I think you might legally be required to walk with me now, seeing as Gabriel ruined a perfectly good shirt and all.”

“Scuse you, I happen to _like_ the way my shirt looks now,” Gabe snarked back.

Anthony looked to the strip of fabric, then to Gabriel and Castiel. “You two are just a very caring, very giving family, aren’t you?”

“I resent that,” Gabe retorted, arms crossed. “I am neither caring _nor_ giving. I made a fashion choice and tossed you the scraps, which I think actually makes me a dick. So.”

“Yes,” Castiel shouldered in. “The answer you’re looking for is _yes.”_

Anthony nodded to himself, almost resigned, and wrapped the fabric around his elbow. “Sure, Cassie. I’ll walk with you.”

“Did you just call him—“

“That sounds wondrous, Annie, thank you.” Castiel’s eyes sparkled. “You can keep me safe from all the Canadian creatures of the night.”

Anthony chuckled, tying it off. “I think they’d all just want to hold the door open for you.”

Castiel took two steps towards the sidewalk, then turned back. “Oh, and Dean and Gabrosie? I _am_ going to request that you both still be clothed when we return.”

“No promises,” Gabe quipped back.

“For every item of clothing that you are _not_ wearing when we return, I will post an embarrassing photo of you as a teenager online. Don’t test me.”

“Bold of you to assume I’m embarrassed by any of them.”

“Oh, I _do_ mean the ones of you in a suit and tie with your hair combed back.” Cas waved at them and walked away, Anthony close by.

“Wait— hey _wait! That’s not fair!”_

Dean did his best not to laugh. “Your hair was _combed_ once?”

“Hey, your mouth? Shut it.”


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> why does fluff keep coming out

Castiel laughed at something Anthony had said. “Yes, it is very convenient that I have a first aid kit. We were without on the way here, and it became a bit of a hassle.” He paused. “Well, we couldn’t _access_ one easily, anyway.”

“Lucky for me, I suppose.” Anthony flexed his arm. “You know, it’s really not that bad.”

Cas waved him off. “Yes, I know. But I thought Gabrosie and Dean could use some alone time, after that big tornado incident.”

“Ah, right. Gabriel looked terrified, and you looked like the issue was that it was one degree warmer outside than it was meant to be.”

“To be fair, Gabriel is the one with the anxiety. Not me. We had a rather lethal run-in with a tornado many years ago. I believe he still is afraid something will come along to finish the job some day, while I _personally_ believe that, if a tornado was going to kill me, it already had its chance.” He faked a sympathetic wince. “I suppose tornadoes are just _cowards.”_

“Oh. Wow, that is quite the story to drop, Cassie. It sounds like it was traumatizing.”

“Of course.” Castiel shrugged, hands in his pockets. “Tornadoes just don’t hold much for me. Now, drop me down in the middle of a church, however, and I’ll absolutely have a meltdown.”

“There has to be a story there.”

“There is, but it’s for another time.”

“Ah. I’m sorry for prying.”

“Oh, don’t apologize.” Castiel shouldered him fondly. “It’s just that my story is inherently Gabriel’s, and I’d rather not share his trauma without his consent.” He gave Anthony a soft smile. “If it were only my own, I would tell you without hesitation.”

“That’s a lot of trust, Cassie.” Anthony smiled back at him. “I wish I had some sort of trauma to share with you.” His face _immediately_ paled. “Not that I’m saying I wish I had trauma! Because that’s super insensitive to you and your brother! Just that I don’t have anything of such magnitude to share with you and—“ He cut himself off, face red as Castiel laughed quietly.

“I get it,” Cas teased. “You would just like the ability to reciprocate.”

“Yeah. I— I mean, I had a really good childhood. Things weren’t always great, but nothing ever is, y’know? Loving mother, loving father, firmly middle class. I really don’t have some big thing to share with you.”

“Having a loving full family is absolutely a big thing, Annie. I’d love to hear about your past. It’s just as foreign to me as my past would be to you.”

Anthony blinked, slightly taken aback. “Oh that’s… that’s such a sad sentence to say. I kind of want to hug you.”

Castiel tilted his head to the side, amused. “It’s just how it is. But I won’t stop you.”

Anthony stopped walking, pulling Castiel into a hug. He fit… well, perfectly, actually. “I’m sorry you did not get the past you so obviously deserved, but I am glad that the events of your life led you to where you are today.”

Castiel froze in his arms, unsure for a moment as he slowly hugged back. “I— I don’t think anyone’s ever— huh. Thank you.”

“I’m always here if you want to talk.”

“And when I go back to America?” Cas teased, steering the conversation a new direction.

“Hand me your phone?”

Cas untangled one arm to pull out his phone and hand it to Anthony before settling back into the hug. Anthony added in his own contact info, phone resting against Castiel’s back.

“There. Now you can call me.”

“Mm, and what about texting?”

“Well, if you _insist.”_

Cas laughed softly at that, pulling away. “We’d better get to the hotel before Gabriel sends out a search party for me.”

“First Sam, now Gabriel. Is everyone looking for you, Cassie?”

“Obviously. I’m charming.”

“Well, I can’t argue with that.”

They fell in step together comfortably.

“I seem to remember you saying something about a honey business?”

Castiel held up his hands. “Woah now. I sell _glass jars._ Just because they _happen_ to come with honey is a separate thing.”

Anthony laughed, shaking his head, grinning. “That sounds like legal issues waiting to happen.”

“I’ve researched it thoroughly.” Cas looked around at the buildings shrouded in moonlight. “I have a friend checking in on my hives while I’m here. I did the same for her when she had to go back to Ireland to visit some family two years back.”

“Ah, you’re part of some super secret beekeeper mafia. Got it.”

“It’s not so much a secret as that no one mentions it. Like fight club,” Cas responded cheerfully.

“Of course, why didn’t I think of that.” Anthony grinned at him. “What did you do before beekeeping?”

“I worked at a library. It was a nice job. Before the plague, I used to stop by every so often just to catch up with my former coworkers.”

“Both of those jobs fit you to a T.”

“Mmm, are you saying I just have a cottagecore vibe?”

“Well… yes.” Anthony glanced at him. “Out of curiosity, what sort of vibe do I have?”

Cas made a thinking noise. “Kristoff.”

“Kris— _what?”_ Anthony laughed hard, having to stop and lean against a wall. “From _Frozen?”_

“It was a joke,” Cas promised, laughing softly himself. “I don’t know. I haven’t met someone quite like you before. Something from an Eyre-era romance novel, I’m sure.”

“A—“ Anthony chuckled softly, eyebrows furrowed. “A _romance novel.”_

“Yes, absolutely.”

“What about me gave you _that_ idea?”

“Definitely the fanfic writing.” Cas tried not to smile at the ensuing laughter. “I mean, if you spouted poetry to me, I don’t think I’d even bat an eye.”

“I don’t know how to take that, so I’ll just say _thank you,”_ Anthony responded, looking away, face red.

“You could say poetry,” Cas offered.

“You want me to serenade you, Castiel?” Anthony asked, lower than he meant to, and he immediately wanted to un-say it.

“Absolutely. In fact, I’ll start.”

There was a sudden leap in Anthony’s heart that made him stop cold.

“There once was a man from Peru…”

Anthony laughed, because he knew he was _supposed_ to laugh, and because he was most definitely _not_ supposed to dwell on that sudden feeling that had coursed through him. In fact, he was not going to think of it, ever, again, for as long as he lived.

Except that Castiel turned to smile at him again, that damned sunshine smile, and Anthony felt like the actual, literal, scum of the earth.

“So when did you realize you were aro?” Anthony blurted out, more to save himself than anything.

Cas blinked in surprise at the sudden swerve of topics. “Oh. Well, I guess I sort of… figured it out slowly, and then all at once.”

“Alright, John Green.”

Cas smirked. “I don’t know, really. I just stumbled across a meme one day, of all things, and I related to it a lot. So I went into that tag, found more memes, and the more I related, the more I realized maybe I was aromantic. One day the maybe just became a definitely.” He shrugged, thinking. “I never really… _got_ romance. It’s sweet. It’s soft. I like the concept of it. But I’ve never… I guess I’ve never _craved_ it.”

Anthony nodded. “I can understand that.”

“You can?” Cas raised an eyebrow at him.

“Well, yeah. That’s kind of how I feel about sex.”

Castiel’s eyes widened. “Wait, are you—“

“Am I? What? Ace? Yes.”

“B-but you’re— You play—“ Cas was at a loss for words. “I mean no disrespect, and I understand that anyone can be any identity, I just. I’m rather surprised.”

“Hey, don’t get me wrong. I dig sex.” Anthony gave him a small grin. “I dig it a _lot._ But… in like, the same way I dig going out for drinks. It’s fun. I enjoy myself. But if every bar in town closed down, you know… I’d be fine. It wouldn’t affect me.”

“So you’re… grey-ace?”

“No, I’d say I’m just sex-positive.”

“…Huh.” Castiel took in the information, still somewhat stunned. “I just… I have never met a sex-positive ace person. Then again, I haven’t met many other ace people.”

“We’re out there. You’re only the second aro person I’ve ever met.”

“We’re out there,” Cas parroted back. They walked in silence a moment before Cas said, “Do you mind if I ask you something very personal?”

“Go ahead.”

“… _why_ do you like sex?”

Anthony thought on it for a moment. “Well. I like watching people let down their guards like that. I like the expressions on their faces, and like… knowing _I_ did that. Also, I mean… it feels nice.”

Cas scrunched up his face a bit. “It just seems so… squishy. And very not-worth-it.”

“It’s very squishy, yes. And the worth-it-ness depends on the person.”

“Do—“ Cas leaned over a bit, lowered his voice, “Do _you_ understand why it’s such a big deal?”

“Not even a little,” Anthony responded, holding open the hotel door for Cas. “There’s this huge stigma around your ‘first time’ being some big ordeal and honestly? It’s just… meh.”

“Sex isn’t automatically good?”

“No way. It takes practice. Uh, which room are you?”

“212. So wait, wait. Sex dominates basically the entirety of human lives and it’s not even always _good?”_

Anthony tried not to laugh. “Honestly? You’ve got about a 50/50 chance of it being good.”

Cas threw his hands out. _“What?!_ Why all the hookups, then?! Why do people jeopardize _entire relationships_ on a 50/50 chance?!”

Anthony did laugh now, following Cas onto the stairwell. “I have no idea. But it happens all the time.”

“Oh my god. I’m sorry. I’m processing.”

“Did you never look any of this stuff up?”

“No! Of course not! I’m barely mildly interested!” Castiel muttered to himself as he climbed the stairs. “Half a chance. Oh my god.”

“To be entirely honest,” Anthony began, “I’d usually rather play a good video game than have sex. At least I know the video game will satisfy me.”

Cas snorted. “That was a burn to someone I don’t know, and I appreciate it.”

“Thank you! I thought of it a while ago and hadn’t gotten to use it until right now.”

Castiel smirked as he held open the door to the second floor. “Do you often file away insults for later use?”

“Oh, constantly. Thank you.”

“You’ll have to regale me someday.”

“We’ll plan a roast, sure. Though I’m not sure I could insult you if I tried.”

“Oh, am I that terrifying?” Cas joked, pulling out his room key.

“More that I’m not sure there’s anything _to_ insult.”

“Flatterer.” Cas tossed the key on the countertop, heading over to the bag laid by his bed. “Take a seat.”

Anthony paused, then sat on the countertop.

“Ah, here’s the first aid—“ Castiel looked up at him and was very obviously struggling not to laugh. “I did mean the bed, but alright.”

“I’m a gentleman,” Anthony snarked back. “Plus, it would be extremely _rude_ of me to bleed on your bed.”

“Are you even still bleeding?”

“…that is beside the point.”

Castiel ambled over to the counter, sitting the small box to the side. “Let me see the wound.” He paused. “Oh! I get to be the doctor! That’s fun.” He cleared his throat and tried again, deeper, “What can I do for you today?”

Anthony closed his eyes for a moment, looked up at the ceiling in a very _why me_ way, and finally responded, “I hurt my elbow.”

“I see you wrapped it up. Was it bleeding?”

“Yes,” Anthony said back with no life in his voice.

“I’m going to unwrap it now. Let me know if I hurt you.”

“Cas—“ Anthony was going to say… well, _something,_ he was sure, but Castiel’s hands were soft yet firm, and he lost whatever argument he had.

“Ah, a simple scrape. Nothing too bad, should heal up nicely. I’m going to clean it now. It won’t feel too pleasant.”

“Okay.”

Castiel swabbed gently at the offending elbow, and Anthony tried his best to keep still.

Anthony examined his face this close, as it was concentrated on something else. He had the freedom to stare at hair and eyes and nose and—

He focused very hard on Castiel’s eyes, on the innate softness in them. He did not focus on lips that were moving in silent words as he patched him up, he did not focus on the breath skirting across his arm, he did not focus on the warmth of simply _Castiel._

In fact, he focused very hard on the knowledge that Castiel was aromantic, and that he, Anthony, wanted desperately to be friends and nothing more.

Nothing more, but god, was a human man allowed to have hands this soft?

Nothing more, but when Castiel smoothed a bandaid over his elbow and smiled up at him… oh, Anthony knew what it was to fly.

“There. All better.” Cas closed the first aid kit. “You were an excellent patient.”

“You… were an excellent doctor,” Anthony whispered back.

“Well, I didn’t get my medical degree for nothing,” Castiel deadpanned back, and Anthony laughed, heart squeezing in a way that was both soft and very, very painful.

———

The walk back was mostly joking and talking. Castiel took Anthony’s hand, and Anthony could not think of a valid reason to not let him.

“You ready for a very wild night with two instruments of chaos?” Castiel joked as they approached the trailers.

“Who, us?” Anthony joked back, finding pride in the way Castiel laughed.

“But of course.”

Anthony was the one who opened the trailer door. He paused, hand still on the latch, and Cas looked past him.

Gabriel was wrapped up in Dean’s arms, laying across his lap and kissing him… _softly._ One of Dean’s hands was holding Gabe up, the other was half in his hair and half on his cheek. The kiss was slow, unhurried, gentle, _loving._

Castiel had accidentally burst in on Gabriel in many compromising situations, but this one was… different.

Their foreheads pressed together, eyes closed, noses nuzzling each other softly. They were smiling.

Anthony motioned that they should leave, as Gabriel whispered, “I love you,” and opened his eyes to examine the beautiful man holding him.

Castiel could only _assume_ Gabriel had seen them out of the corner of his eye, because he tensed and sat up so quickly that he headbutted Dean in the face.

He was apologizing profusely as Dean held his own nose, groaning.

Gabriel scowled at Anthony and Castiel. “Neither of you saw _anything.”_

“Of course not,” Cas responded, shaking his head. “Do I need to go get my first aid kit again?”

“I’m good,” Dean said, though it sounded muffled and nasally. He took his hand away from his face and blinked hard a few times. “Don’t think he broke anything.”

“You two are very cute,” Anthony told them, shutting the door behind them. “However, it is party time now. I’m all bandaged up, so…”

Dean snapped his fingers and reached back, grabbing a tray of brownies. “Bon appetite.”

Anthony stared. “We were gone barely _thirty minutes!_ How did you make pot brownies _that fast?!”_

“Who said they were pot brownies?” Dean looked at his expression and laughed. “Just kidding. They’re totally pot brownies.”

“But how did—“

“Time is an illusion!” Dean yelled, holding up the tray triumphantly.

Gabe rolled his eyes. “He made them this morning.”

“I made them this morning,” Dean confirmed pleasantly.

“Cool,” Anthony said, grabbing two and stacking them like a sandwich. “Let’s get this party started.”

Dean’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh, okay, so we’re just. We’re just going to _immediately_ go hard. Alright. Cheers, my dude.”

Anthony grimaced a bit as he finished his. “So. What’s on the agenda?”

“I was thinking we play multiplayer on a lot of games I brought.”

Gabriel opened his mouth, and Dean fed him a bite. _“I_ was thinking,” Gabe began, swallowing, “we get crossfaded.”

Anthony pointed at him. “My kinda gal.”

“I’ll pour the shots,” Cas announced, holding out his hand for the liquor bottles. “Also, I get to play yellow in any game where we’re colors.”

Dean shook his head. “Nuh-uh. I’m yellow.”

“Yellow-bellied, maybe.”

“Gabriel! Defend my honor!” Dean called out, mock-offended.

Gabe glanced at Dean’s crotch. “Your honor is fine, Byron.”

“I hate you.”

“You love me.”

Dean smirked. “Maybe.”

“Ugh. Adorable.” Castiel popped open a whiskey bottle. “I’m going to have to drink to forget, now.” He forewent the shot glass in favor of just taking a swig directly from the bottle.

“I’ll help you,” Anthony agreed, holding out his hand.

Cas grinned at him instead. “Lean your head back.”

“What?”

“Shhhh, trust me.” Castiel waited for Anthony to obey before pouring a shot directly into his mouth.

Anthony inhaled in shock and _immediately_ began coughing, hard. “Fuck,” he wheezed, hand against his chest. “Fuckin’— Cassie. _Warn_ a fella.”

“No,” Cas sang back.

Gabriel grinned at them and turned to Dean. “This is gonna be an interesting night.”

Dean looked between Cas and Anthony, studying them. “…Yeah. It is.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey if you have creator's style turned off plz turn it on for this chapter! I'm trying something new here 👀

Dean was laying across Castiel’s lap, laughing quietly but continuously at probably nothing. He held one hand out, world swimming. “Baaaaybeeeee,” he dragged out, reaching for Gabriel. “Baayyyybee.”

Gabriel’s hand met his halfway, fingers tangling. “Mmm. What?”

“Love you.”

“I love you too,” Gabe leaned forward to kiss him. “I stole that, by the way.”

“Nah, I gave it to ya.”

“But it’s the only thing here I can take!”

Dean shrugged like it didn’t concern him, dropping his arms over his head and looking up at Castiel. “How you doin’, sweet cheeks?”

“I’d be doing much better if you would stop using outdated pet names for me.”

“Not gonna happen.” Dean flashed a wide smile at him. “Am I thoroughly distracting you?”

“I honestly stopped noticing you were there.” Cas bit his bottom lip in concentration as his character sped past Anthony’s. “I’m winning.”

“Aw. Damn.” Dean pouted and looked at Anthony, who was doing his damnedest to beat Castiel. “Sorry man. I’m trying.”

“Yes, but you keep getting distracted by Gabriel.”

Dean’s eyes lit up at the name, and he turned to look at Gabe again, who was similarly across Anthony’s lap. “I love you,” Dean told him seriously.

Gabriel laughed softly, reaching out to run a hand through Dean’s hair. “Yes. I know. I love you, too.”

Castiel laughed. “You _cheater,”_ he accused. “You’re distracting my distraction on _purpose!”_

“And why would I do that?” Anthony mused, pulling ahead in the race.

“Because that _also_ distracts _your_ distraction.”

“Mmm, unintended side effect.”

“I can be a distraction!” Gabriel yelled, insulted. He reached up and grabbed Anthony’s face, trying to plant a kiss on his lips. Anthony dodged at the last moment, and he only managed to press a kiss to his jaw. “Hey! No wiggling!”

Anthony was laughing, trying to keep an eye on the screen while _also_ avoiding the man currently basically climbing him. They toppled back as Anthony crossed the finish line, second place.

Castiel wore a very self-satisfied smirk. “Thank you, Gabriel. Your antics have paid off on this night.”

“Mmhm,” Gabriel purred, settling into a cuddle with Anthony.

Anthony tried and failed to get back to a sitting position. “I’m stuck.”

“Unfortunate,” Gabriel said, not sounding sorry at all.

“Let the poor man up and prepare to have your ass handed to you on a silver platter,” Dean said matter-of-factly, rolling out of Castiel’s lap.

“You? On a silver platter? Very well I accept.”

Dean laughed, and it was one of those genuine laughs that took Gabriel’s breath away.

They started up the game, and Gabriel could not focus on the screen simply because Dean was red-faced and grinning openly and completely and Gabriel was far beyond saving.

He barely noticed as Dean came in first and he hadn’t even finished his first lap. Dean cheered loudly, throwing his hands up. “Oh, take that, baby!”

And Gabe was a little drunk, and a little high, and all he could manage was, _“”_

Castiel was immediately choking on his tequila while Dean looked breathlessly at Gabe, head tilted. “What was that?” he asked.

Gabe held his cheek gently and said, with all due reverence, “I said you suck metaphorical ass.”

“I think I have tequila in my lungs,” Castiel choked out, coughing and gasping for air.

“Ayyy atta boy Cas!” Dean cheered loudly. “Party _animal!”_

Castiel fell gracelessly sideways into Anthony’s lap, muffling his coughs into Anthony’s knee. “I’m going to die,” Cas gasped out seriously.

“Eventually,” Gabe responded lightly.

“I’m going to die right this very second. Ugh.” He took in a deep breath, wincing. “My throat feels spicy.”

“Need some milk?” Gabe joked.

“I _need_ mouth-to-mouth.” Castiel’s entire body tensed at once. “Oh wait fuck no I didn’t think that statement through—“

 _“TOO LATE!”_ Gabriel rushed him, and Castiel managed to press his foot into Gabe’s stomach to keep him at bay.

Cas sighed, pouting slightly. “Gabrosie, I mean this in the least-offensive way but you are a kiss slut.”

Dean laughed hard, pressing his face into the floor. “H-he’s a _what?!”_

“You heard me.” Cas stuck his tongue out at Dean. “Of course, you are, too.”

“I am not!”

“You are.”

Gabriel reached his hands out uselessly towards Cas, held back by his leg. “You’re one to talk! You’ve kissed two-thirds of the other people in this room!”

“There are only three other people in this room,” Cas retorted. “Don’t use fractions to misrepresent data.”

Anthony looked between them all. “Should I be asking questions? I feel like I should be asking questions.”

“Free love,” Gabe responded, and Castiel kicked him with his free foot.

“No, don’t go giving him the wrong idea.” Castiel looked up at Anthony. “Gabriel has always been very affectionate, and I’m afraid Dean simply attacked me with a surprise kiss before kissing Gabriel for the first time. I’m assuming it was to ensure he was choosing the _right_ brother.”

Dean’s jaw fell open in both shock and offense. “Hey! That’s not true! It was an _accident!”_

“Oh, yes.” Castiel nodded sagely at Anthony. “He very _accidentally_ put his tongue in my mouth.”

Anthony hid his grin by tutting his tongue. “Damn, Dean. I took you for a better man than that.”

“Oh, screw you both.” Dean held out his arms and made grabby hands. “Gabe, I’ll kiss ya.”

“Can I _steal_ a kiss from you?”

“No,” Dean responded, eyes twinkling, and Gabriel accepted the challenge with an elbow drop that had significantly _less_ elbow than on most WWE broadcasts.

Still, Dean was groaning and holding his abdomen, which enabled for a very easy ten steals on Gabriel’s count.

“That was less cute than I imagined,” Dean gasped out.

“That’s because I have you fooled into thinking I’m cuter than I really am,” Gabe informed him.

“Can’t be. You’re the most cutest thing in the world.” Dean reached for another brownie, thought a second, then fed Gabe a bite before eating his own.

“You are both _disgusting,”_ Castiel informed them with zero malice in his voice. “I preferred it when my throat was on fire.”

Dean sat up suddenly, sending Gabriel falling back. “Oh! We should have a dance party!”

“What.”

“Yes, oh gosh yes we _have_ to have a dance party.” Dean was up and connecting a bluetooth speaker before anyone could even process. “Gabe. This one is for us.”

“Us?” The guitar rang out, and Gabriel’s face lit up. “OH!”

_Debbie just hit the wall_

_She never had it all_

“This is my _jam!”_ Gabe yelled out, letting himself be pulled up by Dean.

“Never heard of it,” Cas deadpanned, even as they danced like absolute _buffoons._

 _“Her dreams went out the door! When she turned twenty-four,”_ they sang, ignoring him.

Cas turned to Anthony to make fun of them together, only to scowl at him mouthing the words. “Oh, you traitor!”

Anthony grinned at him, shrugging, mouthing lightly, _“She was gonna shake her ass on the hood of White Snake’s car.”_

Castiel groaned. “I hate you all.” He opened TikTok Live as Gabriel and Dean made fools of themselves.

_“Bruce Springsteen!”_

_“Madonna!”_

_“Way before Nirvana!”_

He panned the camera around, getting a good view of his idiot brothers and a little peek of Anthony, who winked at the camera.

“They’re so lame,” he whispered to the audience, ignoring the stream of comments.

Dean was suddenly diving into the closet, random clothes flying out as he tried to find… _something._ Gabriel was doing the fucking _monkey_ like every movement he made did not decrease Castiel’s lifespan by ten years.

_She rocked out to WHAM!_

_Not a big Limp Bizkit fan._

Dean triumphantly held up a piece of Gabriel’s clothing, a

_Mini skirt, made of snake skin._

And before anyone could _process_ what he was doing, he was changing into it.

Anthony’s hand covered the camera just before Castiel’s did, but not before everyone got a good view of Dean’s bare ass.

Anthony and Castiel were frozen, even as Dean got the skirt over his hips and posed.

“Fuck,” Castiel whispered.

“Fuck,” Anthony agreed. He hit the end button _for_ Castiel, and they stared at each other in panic.

_Her two kids!_

_In high school!_

_They tell her that she’s uncool_

_‘Cause she’s still preoccupied_

_With 19_

_19_

_1985!_

Dean cheered loudly as Gabe gazed approvingly at him. “Cas, man, c’mon, next song. You choose.”

Castiel looked absolutely _terrified._ “Um.”

“Anthony? Buddy I know you’ve got one!”

Anthony was just as stricken.

“Ugh. Don’t let _Gabriel_ choose. He’s gonna pick something _dumb.”_

“Usually I would resent that, but it is very true,” Gabe agreed.

A song blared through the speakers. “Oh! Charlie’s calling me!”

“Don’t answer that!” Cas yelled out in a panic. “In fact let me DJ!”

“Uh, _no,_ you played pop music the _whole way here.”_

“Yes well I was mad at you and I’m not now.” Castiel was reaching for the phone, and Dean was holding it far away.

“No sir, I wanna talk to _Charlie.”_

“But I _also_ would like to talk to Charlie, and she was my friend first, so I get to _talk_ to her first,” Castiel reasoned, trying and failing to grab the phone.

“Counter suggestion,” Dean retorted, “since you two have been friends _longer,_ I should get to talk first since we haven’t talked as much.”

Castiel looked desperately to Anthony, who shrugged in absolute loss back.

Cas tilted his head up to look at the ceiling in agony. “I hate you,” he informed the universe plainly before grabbing Dean’s face and kissing him, using Dean’s genuinely startled _mmph!_ to distract from how easily he grabbed the phone. He shoved a still-shocked Dean away and answered.

“Dean, you—“

“Yes yes hello Charlie! So good to hear you,” Castiel rambled, opening a trailer window as he did. “Wow it’s been a few weeks huh, how are things, oh geez I’m going through a _crrrk_ a tunnel and _crrrk_ cutting out _crrrk_ don’t call back until I give you the _crrrk_ all clear bye!” He hit the end call button and, without so much as a moment of hesitation, yeeted the phone out the window.

Dean looked like he was trying to decide between asking what happened and asking what the _fuck_ just happened, and only wound up standing there, arms outstretched and jaw slack.

“Phones are the root of all evil,” Castiel deadpanned. He looked at his own phone in his hand, and then threw that out the window, too. For good measure. “Anyway. Music.”

“You _threw_ my _phone_ out the _window!”_

“You two can sing! It’ll be fine!”

Anthony jerked his thumb over his shoulder, still a bit pale. “I’ve got a guitar in my trailer, if either of you can play.”

Gabriel slid his own phone under a couch to avoid it meeting the same fate before responding, “I can! I’ll go get it!”

Anthony nodded. “Yeah, sure. Here’s my key.” He tossed the keychain at Gabe, and Gabe left in a hurry.

Dean was still pouting at the window, arms crossed. “Better not have broken my phone,” he grumbled.

“If I did, it’s your own fault for not having a case on it,” Cas bit back.

Dean humphed again, then looked slyly at Castiel. “Well. Now you’ve kissed _half_ the other people in this room. Kiss slut.”

“I’ll have you know that’s _highly_ misogynistic.”

“You said it first!”

“Yes, but I am without fault and can do no wrong.”

Anthony nodded. “That’s true, and a very good thing to remember.”

Dean rolled his eyes at him. “Yeah sure, you _would_ say that Mister Heart-Eyes.”

“Mister—?”

“Anyway. Cas. I _will_ be holding this over your head for the rest of forever. Just so we’re on the same page.”

Castiel sighed. “Yes. I’m aware.”

“I mean I know I’m irresistible but _damn—“_

“Okay we can stop talking about it now.” Cas rubbed at his own temples, sighing. “I’m not sure what I did where the universe decided it was out to get me, but I would like to sincerely apologize.”

Anthony raised his glass. “Probably when you called tornadoes cowards.”

“They _are_ cowards,” Castiel scowled.

“I see. You never learn, then.”

“Of course not.” Castiel took the glass out of Anthony’s hand and threw back a solid gulp. “Where’s the fun in that? Also where’s Gabriel?”

“Getting my guitar, remember?”

Dean and Castiel exchanged a look. “Oh, _shit.”_ They were running out of the trailer and over two, as Anthony struggled to keep up.

“Why are we running?! Is he okay?” Anthony called out.

“He’s fine!” Dean yelled back, confident. “But as for your _trailer—“_ He flung open the door and — yep.

Anthony pushed past them, face blank. “Where is my fucking bed.”

“Think you’re missing some lightbulbs too,” Cas mused, looking at the ceiling.

“Wh— _I_ don’t even know how to take those out! They have to have electricians come and do it!”

“Don’t underestimate a stoned Gabriel,” Dean murmured, looking around. “I feel like you _probably_ once had a shower curtain, too.”

“Oh my god.”

“It looks like he also took some picture frames? But then… nailed the pictures themselves back up so. Yeah.” Dean waved his hand. “He just _does this_ when he’s high. We just have to find him.”

“Where the hell could he even _go?!”_

“His trailer?” Cas suggested, and Dean snapped his fingers in agreement. They went over to the trailer they had just passed and opened the door.

Bare.

“Fuck,” Dean grumbled. “Where else could he even _go?”_

“Maybe the set?” Anthony suggested.

“No, no. He uses the stuff to like… _nest._ It would be somewhere he feels comfortable. Usually I’d say maybe _Cas’s_ place but—“ Dean paused, then laughed. “Oh. Oh duh. He’s at your hotel room, Cassie.”

“Don’t call me Cassie,” Castiel retorted quickly. “And yes, I think you’re right.”

 _“He_ gets to call you Cassie!”

“I _like_ him.”

“You like me, too! You kissed me _twice.”_

“Irrelevant. Follow me.”

By the time they got to the hotel, it was very obvious they were on the right trail. Anthony had to keep stooping down to pick up an item Gabriel had dropped: a tie, a stethoscope, _eighteen pairs of boxers…_ The list went on.

When they got to the door it was locked from the inside, and Cas scowled and pulled out his keycard. “How did you get in?” he asked through the door. There was a muffled response, and the door swung open to a large, cushy nest, with Gabriel’s hair the only visible part of him.

Dean laughed fondly. “Gabe. Babe. What the hell.”

Gabriel said something that was probably along the lines of _You knew this would happen_ and lifted one arm above the pile, making grabbing motions.

Dean crawled over the mounds of clothes — not all of which Anthony recognized — and fell into whatever hole Gabe had dug for himself.

“Hello,” he whispered.

Gabriel smiled at him and leaned forward, nuzzling their noses together. He began talking, words Dean didn’t recognize but that had Castiel blushing and looking away.

“What’s he sayin’, Cas?” Dean called out.

Castiel huffed and crossed his arms. “He’s asking if you want to live in this comfy pile with him forever.”

“Oh! Um. How— How do I say yes?”

Cas groaned. _“Noib.”_

“No-ee-bay?”

“You got it.”

 _“Noib,”_ Dean told Gabriel seriously, and the pure _joy_ on Gabriel’s face was enough for Dean to make a mental note to start learning Enochian.

Gabriel held him close and began babbling about stuff Dean couldn’t catch, but he had a pretty good idea it was what the future would look like.

And as Dean held him close, he had a moment of clarity. Like all the buzzing constantly at the back of his mind had all lined up into a perfect symphony, and Gabriel’s smile was the crescendo.

 _“Oh,”_ Dean whispered, as Gabriel went on and on about everything and nothing at all. “Hey, Cas?” he called out.

“What.”

“How do you say _forever?”_

And Castiel was silent for a moment. “It’s. It’s _paide.”_

And Dean did not repeat that one out loud, but he kept repeating it in his mind, memorizing it. Because looking at this dork, rambling about the future and smushed in a nest he stole and feeling the sun of his smile… _paide_ just really seemed to fit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [whispers] if you click on the only bit of Enochian NOT translated in this chapter, it SHOULD tell you what it says. if I did things right.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm currently iced in so y'all get a chapter early!

Gabriel woke up groggily in a room he didn’t recognize. On the floor. “Ugh,” he groaned, turning over and covering his face. He felt Dean’s stubble against the back of his hand and pressed his face into his neck. “Babe. Where are we?”

Dean sloppily placed his hand over Gabe’s mouth. “Shhh, sh sh shhhh. Sleep.”

Gabe grunted and gave up, closing his eyes and throwing an arm over him.

Dean took a deep, contented breath in and out, before cracking open one eye. “So how _did_ you get that bed out the door?”

Gabriel faux-snored loudly, fiercely ignoring Dean.

“You feral little man,” Dean whispered fondly.

Gabriel couldn’t help his sleepy laugh.

“Oh, are you two awake?” came Castiel’s voice. “I do need to talk to you, Gabriel.”

Gabe groaned loudly. “But I’m so _comfy!”_

“It will only take a moment.”

“Ugh. _Fine._ But I’m coming right back here to snuggling.”

“I know.” When Gabriel opened his eyes again, Cas was offering him his hand. He let himself be pulled up and led outside, where Castiel gently closed the door.

Gabe scowled at the cold and wrapped his arms around himself. “What’s up, Cassie?”

Cas had a look on his face, some sort of consternation. “I… I didn’t know you and Dean were that serious.”

“Come again?”

“I mean, don’t get me wrong. I knew neither of you were going anywhere any time soon. And I had hoped for this eventual outcome. But I didn’t know it was… already here, I suppose?”

Gabriel looked at him, head tilted. “I feel like I’m missing some really big piece of information. I don’t remember most of last night.”

Castiel frowned and fidgeted, looking away. “You… asked him to marry you.”

“ididwhatnow.”

“When we were all playing Mario Kart. You asked in Enochian, of course, so he doesn’t know but…” Cas huffed, trying for irritation but only managing frustration. “I would’ve liked a warning.”

“I’m sorry. Back it up a bit. I _asked him_ to _marry me?_ With my own mouth? Out _loud?”_

“Oh believe me, I was _equally_ shocked.”

Gabriel grimaced, looking away. “Okay, putting that aside for now, I mean… You… You _like_ him, right?”

Castiel’s eyes softened. “Of course I do, Gabriel. I did sort of set you two up, after all.”

“No you didn’t?” Gabe gave him a confused look. “This whole thing started when—“ He thought about it and facepalmed. “Oh my god. _Cassie._ _You_ told him I hate Italian pop.”

“…maybe.”

“And you threatened him when he hurt my feelings so he’d— _oooooh._ So I have _you_ to thank for the nudes.”

Castiel scrunched up his nose. “Please don’t thank me. I assure you that was not my intention.”

“And you set up game night.”

“Charlie and I did, yes.” Cas held up his hands. “She was on my team, as well. I can’t claim all the glory.”

Gabe shook his head. “Okay but— _why?_ What did you see when you looked at us fighting that made you go, ‘oh yeah, those two are _destined_ to bone’?”

“Those words never went through my head.” Castiel sighed. “I don’t know. A lot. Nothing at all. Boredom. It was very obvious you two were into each other, but honestly I’m not sure if I ever expected _feelings_ to develop. Once they did, of course, Charlie and I mostly stepped back.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Regardless. What I’m getting at here is just that I… didn’t know. And I’m sorry. And you have my blessing.”

Gabriel examined Castiel’s face, looked right through him like he’d done since they were kids. “You know you’re not gonna lose me to him, right?” Gabriel whispered gently.

“Not lose, no,” Castiel responded, equally quietly. “But… you’re not only _mine_ anymore. The rope we connect ourselves with needs to have a bit more slack now.”

“Cassie—“

“We have not been separated since I was _born,_ Gabriel.”

“And that’s—“

“You have sacrificed _so much_ for me. You were perfectly capable of living in the woods alone. _You_ could have escaped any time. But you didn’t. Because _I_ was not capable of that. And you knew that.” Gabe looked away, and Castiel moved to meet his eyes again. “You became a podcast host to free yourself to travel wherever life might take _me._ Gabriel. You have given your _freedom_ for me. That’s not something light, not for anyone, not for us.”

“No. No. _NO.”_ Gabriel stepped out of Castiel’s range, shook his hands like he could shake off the sensation. “Not happening. Not having this conversation. Not saying goodbye until you’re about to step onto the fucking plane.”

“Gabriel—“

“Nuh-uh. Nope. You and I are _fine,_ Cassie, exactly as we are.” He shook his hands harder, because there were still feelings all wrapped up in his heartstrings. “Who and where and what I do with my freedom are all _my_ decisions, so you don’t really have any part in it so we can stop talking about this effective immediately, capiche?”

Castiel sighed and ran a hand over his face. “Can you at _least_ promise me that you won’t panic after two days, break your contract, and come running home to me?”

“I would _nev—“_ He saw Castiel’s unimpressed glance and crossed his arms tightly, fingers itching. “I’m not _going_ to do that.”

Cas held out his pinky. “Then promise me.”

Gabriel frowned, then made a very frustrated sound and turned around, only to turn right back. “What if something bad happens?!” he whined. “What if I’ve gotta run for some reason, and then I promised you I wouldn’t and I get stuck here!”

Castiel took a step forward, held Gabe’s cheeks in his hands. “Gabriel. You are looking too hard for an escape route when you do not need one.”

“But what if I do!” Gabriel tore his face away and began pacing frantically. “What if a giant elephant herd breaks loose from a nearby zoo and is headed _directly towards me.”_

“You’re an animal whisperer. You’ll be fine.”

“What if they’re _deaf_ elephants?! Cassie, you can’t make me promise not to leave.”

“Oh, I absolutely can.”

“No—“

Castiel pouted out his bottom lip, gave Gabriel big, watery eyes. “Please? For me?”

Gabriel let out a frustrated yell and pulled at his own hair. “I thought we were just talking about me doing too much stuff because it’s for you!”

Castiel sniffled and looked away. “So you _won’t_ do this?”

Gabe growled, turned away, turned back, stomped his feet, and huffed. “Look. _Look._ You’re manipulative and evil and I hate you.” He held out his pinky, and Cas linked them easily, smiling blindingly at him.

“I love you, too! But I’m going to need you to say it out loud.”

 _“Cassie,”_ Gabe groaned.

 _“Gabrosie,”_ Castiel mocked back.

“I promise I will not run away from this,” Gabriel said through his teeth.

“Okay.” Castiel linked the rest of their fingers, looking at him expectantly. “And, if you start feeling like you _need_ to run, what are you going to do?”

“Bottle it up.”

“No.”

“I’m going to… talk to Dean about it.”

“There you go. See? You know what to do.”

“Can I add a caveat?”

“Maybe.”

Gabriel pointed at him with his free hand. “If _Dean_ also is okay with leaving, then we are allowed to leave. Together.”

“You say that like Dean possesses _more_ braincells than you.” Castiel shook his head, smiling. “Together you two have approximately _five._ So, no. I will not be accepting that caveat.”

“Okay, what if he decides to leave on his _own—“_

 _“Gabriel._ You _do not need_ an escape route. Everything will be fine.”

Gabriel sighed and held out his free hand. “Fine. Shake on it.” Castiel shook his hand, but not before Gabriel rushed out, “If something goes bad I can call you and renegotiate.”

Castiel shot him a Bitch Face.

Gabe held his hands up in treaty. “Hey, you shook on it.”

He rolled his eyes. “Yes. Fine. Sure. If that eases your anxiety.”

“It does.”

“But. For the record. You are capable of dealing with whatever life throws your way.”

“Stop.”

“You are stronger than you believe, and even if you’re bleeding from your mouth, you’re still clenching your teeth tighter and punching harder.”

“Uuuuuuggggghhhhhhh.” Gabe wiped his hands down his own shirt, like that would wipe the compliments away. “Are we done now? Can I go back inside and cuddle my boyfriend?”

“Husband. Or is it fiancé?”

“Ignoring you. Now and for always. Only child right here.”

“Oh, is that so? What does that make me?”

“Gosh, the wind sure does sound weird today.” Gabe looked down. “Oh, look! Two phones!”

Cas grimaced. “Oh. Right. Dean’s ass might be all over the internet.”

Gabe paused, crouched down to grab them. “Weird. Almost sounded like the wind just said my partner’s ass might be all over the internet.”

“I. May have been recording a tiktok live. And. He may have taken off his pants before I could cover the camera.”

“…so you threw the phones outside?”

“It ah… seemed logical at the time.”

“Mm. Mmhm. Which side of his ass?”

“The… right… side?”

“Oo, you got lucky there, Cassie. He’s got a tattoo on the left side.”

“Yes, the pride flag.” Cas fidgeted. “To be fair. You two _are_ married in speech and practice and status. I don’t think anyone was under the impression he was _straight.”_

“It’s still not your—“

“Yes, I know. It’s not my place to out him, and I came very close, and I am sorry.”

“You basically leaked his nudes, Cassie.”

Cas’s face was screwed up in shame, and he looked down at Gabe. “I know. I’m—“ He took in Gabriel’s shit-eating grin. “…you’re messing with me.”

“I am.” He giggled softly, picking up the phones and straightening. “Dean came out publicly _ages_ ago. And his ass is sort of already on the internet. So.”

Castiel let out a relieved sigh. “Oh, god. I was so worried.”

“I mean. You still _totally_ have to tell him. But he won’t kill you or anything. Probably.”

Cas groaned, rubbing at his temples. “If he does kill me, please tell Anthony I had a good last few days.”

“Sure, sure.” Gabe pulled at the door, opening it. “Hey, babe! Cas has got something to tell you!”

 _“Gabriel,”_ Cas hissed.

Dean groaned from his spot on the ground, flinging an arm over his face. “No.”

“It’s important.” Gabe looked expectantly at Castiel, who sat beside Dean hesitantly.

“So. Last night.”

“Mm.”

“You sort of… took your pants off. And I sort of… was recording a live video at the time.”

Dean froze, then moved his arm enough to raise one amused eyebrow at Castiel. “Oh Cassie, you voyeur.”

“Don’t call me—“ Cas scowled at himself. “I am sorry. For accidentally putting your ass online.”

“It’s already online. But thanks for apologizing.” Dean sat up and stretched, popping his back. “Want some coffee?”

Cas looked to Anthony, who was blearily shrugging, then back to Dean. “What— that’s it? You’re not upset?”

“No? Do you _want_ me to be?”

“Well, no, but I— I was rather _expecting_ it.”

“Um.” Dean shook his finger at Cas. “Oh you… rapscallion. Bad. An absolute hooligan.”

“Dean.”

Dean laughed, standing up. “Cas, man, I’m more upset about you throwing my phone outside than I am my ass being on display.”

Cas handed him his phone back wordlessly.

“Thanks.” Dean set about starting a pot of coffee as Castiel tried to work it out in his head.

“If… If you don’t mind my asking, _why_ is your ass already online?”

“Meh. Paparazzi.”

“But this season hasn’t even _aired_ yet!”

Dean paused, turning to look at Castiel curiously. “Oh, man. I love you.”

_“What?”_

“That’s just— wow. You’re so fucking genuine. It’s nice.” Dean shook his head, going back to the grounds.

Cas looked back to Anthony in exasperation, who sighed and sat beside him. “He means the paparazzi sometimes go through these phases where they go after past criminals and use them for clout.”

Dean clicked his tongue in agreement and pointed a spatula at Anthony. “Yeah. It’s about a four year cycle, actually. Three and a half years of mostly peace, then a few months of assholes with cameras finding me _somehow._ Year in question I was skinny-dipping with a guy from college. Which is— ass out, me out all in one go.”

“Oh.” Castiel blinked, processing. “I’m sorry. That sounds awful.”

“I stopped really caring, and so did they. I just lay low for the most part, and when I see them I just give them really boring pictures.” He grabbed a box of pancake mix from the cabinet. “This year would’ve been the peak of the cycle, so I’m hoping I have eight years of peace this time around.”

“Except now you’re a TV star.”

“Except now I’m on TikTok and Facebook and YouTube and Twitter and no one needs to see what they’re saying because I’m already saying it all.”

“Using technology to your advantage. Smart.”

Dean threw his hands out, turning back to Cas. “I _am_ a chemist! Like! That’s a pretty big part of who I am!”

“Yes yes, you are _book_ smart. That, however, was street smart.”

“I’m street smart too!” Dean scowled and went back to making pancakes. “I’m just not very _relationship_ smart.”

“For what it’s worth,” Anthony began, “I think you’re doing amazingly.”

Dean gave him a small smile. “Thanks. It’s new territory.”

Gabriel plopped down on the bed, just taking everyone in. “Look at you go, then. You’ve got me, Cassie, Charlie, Anthony, James, Abby, Tabry, Bryan…” Gabe rattled them off on his fingers, making Dean grin and rub the back of his neck awkwardly.

“Bryan is my boss. Not sure that should count.”

“Well, the others definitely do. You’re absolutely _collecting_ friends, babe.”

“Shut it,” Dean said, eyes sparkling. “How many pancakes do you want?”

“Mm, all of them.”

“Okay, Gabriel wants all of them. Cas, Anthony? How many?”

“Whatever’s left, I suppose,” Castiel responded.

Dean rolled his eyes. “Yeah, okay, sure. You’re each getting five.”

Anthony made a disbelieving noise. “That’s a lot of pancakes!”

“Yeah well _somebody_ didn’t give me a real number, which means I get to decide.” He held up a hand. “Also, the coffee is ready, which means nobody better talk to me or even _look_ at me, got it? It is now Quiet Time.”

Gabriel laughed quietly, looking for a moment at Dean with all the love in his entire heart.

Castiel gave him a pointed look, as if to say, _Everything will be fine._

And Gabriel felt the truth of the unspoken, _Because he is here, too._

“—riel. _Gabriel.”_ Gabe snapped back to attention, to where Dean was waving his spatula broadly, one unsipped cup of coffee in his hand. “Dumbass. I asked if you wanted coffee.”

“Yes. Also, you’re the dumbass, Winchester.”

“Shurley,” Dean teased back.

And Gabe was still thinking about how much safer he felt, knowing he had someone to face life with, and he rolled his eyes, and misunderstood. “Yeah, yeah, sure. You’re the dumbass, _Shurley._ Now get me some damn coffee.”

Dean froze.

He just— He entirely, _completely_ froze. His gaze was locked with Gabriel’s, eyes wide.

There was something in there that, if Gabriel was one to frequent mirrors, he would have recognized from his own face. It lasted a moment, then two, before Dean sort of jumped and remembered what he was doing. “Right. Right.” He poured a mug of milk and sugar and splashed some coffee into it. Exactly how Gabriel liked. “Here is your sugar milk, with added caffeine,” he paused, then added, hesitantly, “Shurley.”

“Thanks, Winchester?” Gabe sat up and took the mug from him, tilting his head at the way Dean’s face seemed to sort of… fall. “What.”

“…Shurley?” It wasn’t a real question. It wasn’t even a full sentence, but Dean’s heart was pounding against his ribs for half-formed reasons he dare not unearth now.

“Shurley?” Gabe echoed, and Dean had a look on his face like he didn’t know how to take it. But he nodded once and went back to the griddle on the counter, head down.

Gabriel squinted down at his coffee in confusion, then looked to Cas and Anthony whispering softly amongst themselves, then to Dean, with his tense shoulders and sharp movements and— blushing neck?

Alright, that warranted an explanation.

Gabe walked over to stand by Dean, leaning against the nearby wall. “So,” he began, “yooouuu wanna talk to me or—?”

Dean battled some internal debate before deliberately picking up his coffee mug, meeting Gabriel’s eyes, and taking a sip.

“Okay so, no, you don’t want to talk to me.”

Dean rolled his eyes and let the coffee fall out of his mouth, back into the cup. “I—“

“Ew.”

“Shut up. I just. You caught me off guard. Sorry. I’ll get with the program quicker next time.”

“Um. Did we have the same exchange there because it _really_ feels like we didn’t.”

Dean’s face was red, beyond red, and Gabe resisted the urge to reach out and poke it. “Okay, look. I’m only gonna say this once and we’re not gonna talk about it ever at all and you’re just gonna take it at face value and _not_ read too deep into it. Got it?”

Gabe raised one eyebrow and three fingers. “Scouts’ honor.”

“You were never a— whatever. I—“ Dean swallowed harshly, cast his eyes back down to the cooking pancakes. “I just. I-I like it when you call me Shurley.”

“You like when I—?” Gabe thought back over the conversation and finally understood. He was highly aware of the way his breaths felt. “Ohhh. I didn’t— I mean, I didn’t mean to—“

Dean held his hands up suddenly. “You know what, forget it, it was a dumb thing to bring up and I already regret it.”

“Shurley,” Gabe chastised, tasted on his tongue.

Dean inhaled sharply, still refusing to meet his eyes. “Yep.”

“Shurley,” Gabe tried again.

Dean bit the inside of his cheek, nodding.

 _“Shurley,”_ Gabe practically sang out softly.

“You’re teasing me,” Dean accused, turning to face him.

“Maybe a little,” Gabe admitted. “Shurley.”

“Gabriel—“

“Dean. Shurley. Dean Shurley.”

Dean finally smiled at that, one of the genuine ones. Beautiful. Wonderful. Perfect. “Yeah. Just like that.”

“Good,” Gabe breathed, picking up Dean’s coffee and handing it to him. “Now make me some damn pancakes, _Shurley.”_

“You know, patience is a _virtue.”_

“One that I do not have. So. Chop chop.”

Dean laughed softly and brought his coffee to his lips, face still red, and let himself think that _forever_ could be the sugar-drinking, soft-smiling dumbass beside him.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did I just update yesterday? yes  
> am I updating again? yep  
> happy friend's day y'all

_Doctor Sexy was running, and he crashed into Nevada._

_Nevada let out an oof, but did not fall down. “Hey, slow down. What’s the rush?”_

_“Miss Caroline Dufresne is missing.” He was running his hands through his long, sexy hair. “I went to check on her vitals and she was just_ **_gone.”_ **

_“Isn’t she horribly sick? How did she just get up and leave?”_

_“I don’t know! We’ll ask her when we find her!” He was already walking further down the hall, and Nevada had to jog to keep up. “Find every staff member, tell them to be on the lookout.”_

_“Yes, sir.” Nevada looked around and saw Reno, filling out a chart. “Reno,” he called out._

_Reno looked up at him, eyes betraying nothing. “Nevada.”_

_“Caroline Dufresne is missing.”_

_Something passed between them, unspoken, and Reno nodded. “Understood.” He sat his chart down and was gone before Nevada needed to tell him anything else._

“Scene!” Bryan called out, flipping through his script. “Very good. Set up for the next scene. Arissa, is she ready?”

Arissa nodded her head. “Fake blood in place, bruises, the works.”

“Fantastic. We’ll start the next scene in five. This is your big one, Gabriel. Be ready.”

Gabe saluted Bryan. “Aye aye, captain.”

Everyone began milling about, talking amongst themselves, changing the layout, whatever. Dean punched Gabe’s shoulder lightly. “I finally got to talk directly to you! Ignoring you in character is so hard.”

Gabriel laughed. “Yeah, right? I have to keep like, unfocusing my eyes so I don’t accidentally stare at you.”

“Me too.”

“You two can unfocus your eyes on command?” Tabry asked, overhearing them.

“Yes? Can’t you?”

“Um, no. But that’s pretty cool.” They shrugged and went back to the set they were helping to move.

Dean rolled his eyes. _“Anyway._ You ready?”

Gabe grimaced. “As I’ll ever be, I guess.”

“You good?”

Gabe frowned, then sighed. “It just. Kinda feels like it’s _missing_ something, doncha think?”

“Something like what?” Gabe could already see the writer brain kicking it into full gear, going over every line of dialogue and every stage direction.

“Not sure yet. I might figure it out as we go.”

Dean was already going over and grabbing his script, flipping to the pages in question. “It’s— I mean, it fits Reno, doesn’t it? The whole thing?”

“I mean, _yes,_ but like… I’m thinking now there’s something about Reno that I just haven’t discovered yet. That would like… change this up. I dunno. Maybe I’m thinking too hard into it.”

“Well— remember all the acting classes we took online? Motivation and delivery. _Why_ is Reno doing this?”

“To help himself. And Nevada.”

“Then play off of that. I’ll go run it by James, see if he has any ideas.”

Gabe nodded and watched him walk off, sighing. He looked back to where the set had been moved, revealing a large, empty room. It almost felt like an abandoned basketball court. They were already tying the extra — _Meg —_ to a chair in the middle. Cameramen ran around, adjusting angles and lighting.

“Places! T minus one!”

Gabriel was watching her curiously, and finally stepped over to her, arms crossed. “Hey. I’m Gabriel.”

“Meg,” she responded, beaming up at him. It looked strange on her face, with the fake cuts and bruises and running mascara.

“I’m gonna… pre-apologize for how intense this scene is going to be.”

She scoffed. “No need. I make a living playing the victim in shows like this. I read the script.” She wiggled a bit in her seat, and Gabe craned his neck.

“You look kind of uncomfortable.”

She shrugged. “Comes with the job. Being tied up is never very comfy.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Um. It should be. If they’re doing it right.” He pointed to the ropes. “Can I…?”

“Knock yourself out.” She blew her bangs out of her eyes as he walked around the chair, frowning.

“Whoever did this has no idea what they’re doing.”

“Alright! Take one!” Bryan called out.

“Wait,” Gabriel responded, one hand up. “Who did this? With the ropes?”

“Um.” Tabry held up a hand. “I did? Did I not tie them tight enough?”

“Do you _usually_ do this?” he asked instead.

“No, we had to sort of delegate minor tasks.”

He made a come-here motion. “Let me teach you something.”

“Can it… wait?”

“Nope. C’mere.” He crouched down behind Meg, untying her.

Tabry crouched beside him. “Alright. What is it.”

“This isn’t how you tie people up.” He unlooped the ropes until Meg was completely free. “They should never be _uncomfortable_ when you do this.”

They blinked in surprise. “Oh.” They looked at Meg. “I am so sorry, I didn’t even think to ask.”

Meg shrugged. “Honestly? Not the worst I’ve ever had. Pretty on par, actually.”

Gabriel whined, “Don’t tell me that! Don’t ruin every scene with someone tied up ever!”

She shot him a grin. “Sorry toots. You get tough wrist skin in my line of work.”

He sighed and doubled the rope over on itself. “Okay well… first off. Start like this. Tie by using the loops and the ends, _not_ with knots. The stability should come from the structure, not from tying twenty knots in it. Alright?”

They nodded, plopping their head on their fist to watch. “Okay. Got it.”

“Now, wrap the loop side around the wrists, pull the ends through.” He demonstrated as he talked. “Wrap the ends around the wrists like… however many times, doesn’t matter.” He did three, being very careful. “Meg, push your wrists apart a bit. Keep pressure like that.”

She nodded, leaving herself about an inch between her wrists.

“Okay. Now over the wraps, back through the loop, and wrap _between_ the wrists a few times to cinch it up.” He pulled tight. “Got it?”

“Got it.”

“Part your ends, one through the loop, tie off.” He ended with a flourish and sat back. “How is that?”

Meg wiggled around, tried to pull at the ropes. “Way more comfortable, and also I don’t think I could get out if I tried.”

“Well— you could, because I put the knot by your fingers.” He looked at Tabry. “Normally you’d put the knot on the other side.”

They let out a worried laugh. _“Normally?_ Where are you _normally_ tying people up, Shurley?”

Gabriel looked at them, blank-faced. “I’m a married man,” he deadpanned.

Meg let out a bark of laughter as Tabry scrunched up their nose. “Oh, god. Forget I asked.” They ran their hands over their face. “Alright so, this means it’s canonical that Reno ties up Nevada. Cool. Didn’t need to know who was the bottom.”

“I sort of figured they were both switches?” Gabe shrugged. “Anyway, I dunno. Maybe Reno is just _into_ this.” His eyes opened wide and he facepalmed. “Oh my god. I’m such an idiot. That’s what’s missing.”

Tabry patted his back fondly. “Don’t know what you’re talking about, don’t care, get ready to roll.” They stood up and walked back over to their chair on the side, beside Bryan.

Bryan gave Gabe a thumbs-up and a questioning face, and Gabe nodded back, stepping out of the scene.

“Thanks, toots,” Meg called out to him, grinning.

“And we’re on in three, two—“

_Miss Caroline was taking deep, panicked breaths, eyes casting about desperately. She yanked at her hands to no avail; she was tied to a metal chair._

_“Help!” she yelled out for the hundredth time, hoping someone would hear her. There had been no outside noise, no nothing. She was alone. “HELP!”_

_There was a harsh, grating noise, like a rusty swing, and the door opened. She recognized one of the doctors and breathed a sigh of relief._

_“Oh my god,” she choked out. “I don’t know what happened! I— I ran, I’m sorry I just— I hate hospitals and I passed out and I woke up here and—“_

_“Be quiet.” Reno’s voice was sharp, commanding. “I have a few questions for...”_

Gabriel sighed. “Wait. Wait. Cut.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I have a new idea.”

Bryan tented his fingers. “What sort of idea?”

“A slight… rewrite. To fit the character better. I think. Is it okay if we… play around a bit?” He looked to Meg, who nodded.

“Yeah man. I’m down.”

Bryan nodded too. “You’ve given me no reason not to trust you, so sure. Go wild.” He called out, “Alright! Start at ‘Oh my god’. On three, two—“

_“Oh my god,” Miss Caroline choked out. “I don’t know what happened! I— I ran, I’m sorry I just— I hate hospitals and I passed out and I woke up here and—“_

_“Yeah, no, I know.” The door closed behind Reno and he locked it. “How are you feeling?”_

_“I— I’m—“ She looked down at herself, wondering if maybe she was still tripping. “I’m tied up.”_

_“That’s not quite what I asked, though, is it?” The doctor took off his lab coat and hung it from a nail sticking out of the wall. “Are you— scared?”_

_Her breath stuttered. “I— What— What are you talking about?”_

_“Are you scared of_ **_me?”_ **

_She looked at him, chest heaving. “You tied me up, didn’t you?”_

_“Well, yes. I thought that was obvious. Who else would know where you are?”_

_“Where am I?”_

_“Downtown. Old abandoned factory, not far from a train station.” He rolled up his sleeves as he talked. “You’re a very interesting woman, you know.”_

_Caroline tried to free herself again, but it was no use. “I haven’t done anything to you. You can just let me go. We can both walk away from this.”_

_Reno pulled up his pant leg, pulled out a knife from a hidden holster. “Well see, I think that’s where you’re wrong.” He pointed the knife at her, and she went pale. “You have something I need.”_

_“Y-you’re you’re a doctor! You can g-get organs any-anywhere! Please don’t—“_

_He scowled. “I don’t want your organs. I want information.”_

_“I don’t know anything about anything! Pl-please just let me go, I can’t—“_

_“You_ **_do_ ** _know something, though. That’s why you’re here.” He paused. “Well, you’re here because you were the first of the few people who know something to step outside the safety of that hospital.” He took a step forward, then another, letting the heels of his shoes click against the ground._

_She watched him approach, trying to back away but having nowhere to go. “I haven’t done anything! I don’t_ **_know_ ** _anything!”_

_“You don’t even know what I’m asking, though.” He shrugged, knife glinting in the light. “What if it’s just your favorite color? Or your middle name?”_

_She took in a shaky breath, a few tears streaking down her face. “Wh-what do you want to know?”_

_He gave her a blinding smile. “What’s your favorite song?”_

_“My—“ She gulped. “It’s. It’s ‘Hooked on a Feeling’.”_

_“Ooo, good choice.” He pulled a phone out and tapped the screen a few times. “The original, I presume?”_

_“Y-yes.”_

_The sound echoed weirdly around the empty room, the_ **_ooga-chaka_ ** _reverberating and covering itself. He sat the phone on the ground. “Follow-up question: where did you get those new drugs from?”_

_Her face went white, her feet scooted against the ground as she tried and failed to push herself away from him. “I don’t— I don’t have any drugs, I—“_

_“Ooo, lying. That’s not a good girl.” He did a spin to the song, slid towards her. “Come on now. I know you’re one of the dealers responsible for this new drug that’s been hospitalizing people by the dozens. So. Where did you get it from?”_

_She pushed so hard against the ground that she toppled over, and Reno caught the chair with his foot, leaving her tilted. “I don’t know! I don’t know where—“_

_“Let me rephrase, so maybe you have a better idea of the situation you’re currently in: That drug was not ready for public consumption._ **_No one_ ** _should have had access. And yet, here you are. Selling it. And unfortunately for you, dipping into your own stocks. Which means my partner and I have a_ **_rat_ ** _on our hands. Now. You can give me the name of the rat, or I can tear it out of you. What’s it gonna be, Miss Caroline?”_

_She tried to kick, she did scream, she pulled at her restraints until her wrists felt raw. “I don’t know! I don’t know his name! He just drops it off and I pick it up!”_

_“Not good enough.” He pushed his foot down, settling her chair back on all four legs. “Let’s try this way.” He was suddenly behind her, tipping her chair far forward, knife pressed to her stomach. “For every time you_ **_lie_ ** _to me, I’ll let you drop another few degrees. Got it?”_

_“I don’t know his name!” she insisted, letting out a desperate scream as she tilted further onto the knife. “Please, please, if I knew I would tell you! I don’t care about him!”_

_“Now, that I believe.” He hummed to the music, thinking, singing along,_ **_“Girl you got me thirsty for another cup of wine.”_ **

_“I can tell you where I meet him,” she offered, neck straining back. “I can tell you who else he sells to.”_

_“Not quite what I was hoping for, but I do suppose it might could work.”_

_She nodded enthusiastically, trying to squirm away from the knife. “He always does drop-offs on the corner of first and main. He wears a baggy hoodie with no words on it, and sunglasses. And he has grey shoes! Three of his other clients are in the hospital too! Arnold, Trey, and Kat!”_

_“Arnold and Trey we knew about. Kat is new.”_

_The grating sound of the door opening made them both look up suddenly, and tears streamed down Caroline’s face as she looked at a doctor she actually knew._

_“Help me!” she begged. “Please, he’s going to kill me!”_

_Nevada looked at her, then looked at Reno._

**_All the good love when we’re all alone_ **

_He smirked at Reno, closing the door and singing along,_ **_“Keep it up girl, yeah you turn me on. Iiiiiiii’m,”_ ** _he slid further into the room, ending in a spin,_ **_“hooked on a feeling.”_ **

_Reno grinned openly back at him as Caroline realized, with unflinching certainty, that she was going to die. “No no no no no no no…”_

_Reno removed the knife, let her back down as he cha-cha’d out to Nevada, landing in his arms. “Well hello there,” he purred._

_“Fancy seeing you here,” Nevada rumbled back, leaning in for a kiss._

_It was soft, and sweet, and damn, they had missed this._

_Nevada kissed Reno deeply, as if they hadn’t seen each other in ages, as if they didn’t spend every night together, as if they hadn’t been in love for years and years. And when there was the metallic banging noise of Caroline trying to free herself, Nevada didn’t even need to break the kiss to lift the gun out of his waistband._

_“PLEASE, DON’T—“_

**_Iiiiii’m—_ **

_Bang! Bang!_

**_Hooked on a feeling!_ **

_They swayed gently in the room, just the two of them. Nevada spun him easily, pulling him, smiling, back into his arms._

_“You got a lead?” Nevada mumbled against his lips, one hand on his waist, the other guiding them in some sweet parody of a waltz._

_“Got a few, actually,” Reno whispered back, peppering his face and neck with kisses. “You plant the evidence for her to have hopped a train?”_

_“I did.” Nevada rested his head on Reno’s shoulder, looking at something Reno couldn’t see. “We’ll have to do clean-up soon.”_

_“Mm. One more song?”_

_Nevada laughed deep in his chest. “For you? Anything in the world.”_

_They danced, quietly, with soft smiles, and nothing could touch them._

“Cut!” They opened their eyes to see an entire room of people staring at them in absolute shock. Meg’s eyes were lit up and she was grinning broadly.

“Toots! We did incredible! When you said you wanted to play around like— _damn!_ You meant it!”

Gabriel looked to Bryan, whose mouth was still slightly agape. “That was. Perfect, actually. I’m. Wow.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Sure I can’t convince you to join the writing team?”

Gabe laughed nervously. “Really? It didn’t… suck?”

“Not even a little! I— someone work on getting the rights to that song. I don’t think any other song will fit.” Bryan clapped his hands. “We’ll have to do another take because that’s just how these things work but I’m pretty sure we’ll still use that first one. Gabriel. Meg. Dean. _Outstanding_ jobs.”

James was frozen beside Anthony, who looked like he had stopped in the middle of talking to Castiel to watch the scene unfold. Cas’s eyes were bright and he looked insanely proud.

“That was _iconic!”_ Arissa yelled out.

Gabe turned to Dean. “Your thoughts?”

“Honestly?” Dean whispered so no one else could hear, “Mark me down as scared and horny. And maybe James, too.” They both turned to look at James, who was staring at nothing with wide, panicked eyes. “Think he’s questioning his sexuality. Again.”

Gabe laughed, disentangling them. “That happens every time he sees me.” He beamed at Dean. “That’s what was missing! Reno does this because he _enjoys_ doing it!”

“It definitely felt better than the stoic monster we had written.” Dean caught his smile with a kiss. “You did _fantastic.”_

Gabe blushed and looked away, still smiling. “Meg, can you get out or do I need to untie you?”

“Oh, I can get out. I found the knot.”

Dean gave him an offended look. “You let her find the knot?”

“I _wanted_ her to be able to get out.”

“Playing favorites. I see how it is.”

Bryan ran a hand through his hair. “Well. Let’s keep going. Re-run that scene while we’ve still got the right energy.”

Gabriel nodded and grabbed his prop knife, phone, and jacket from the hook.

“Three, two—“

_Miss Caroline was taking deep, panicked breaths—_


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have six inch tall heels now which means I can reach all the alcohol on the top shelf

Meg stretched her arms, smiling. “Good work out there, sweetcheeks.”

Gabe grinned at her. “You, too, babe. You sticking around?”

“What, after my character just got shot? I don’t think so.”

Dean crossed his arms. “No, no way we’re letting you go that easy. I’m thinking a rewrite. What if—“ he startled mumbling to himself, pacing.

Meg watched him, eyebrow raised. “He always like this?”

“Pretty much, yeah.” Gabriel looked at his ass unashamedly, and Meg followed suit.

“Nice shelf,” she deadpanned.

“Obviously.”

“This your wife?”

“I think he prefers dumbass.”

“Your dumbass is on the move.”

They watched as he paced over to Bryan, talking animatedly about… _something._

“He doesn’t really stay still.” Gabe side-eyed Meg. “So, you got a last name?”

“Masters. You?”

“Shurley.”

“Gabriel Shurley. Why does that ring a bell.”

Gabriel sighed dramatically. “A girl spends _years_ building a reputation and still only gets recognized on the internet.”

She laughed, arms crossed. “Oh, yeah. You’re that science nerd.”

“Uhhh, no. _Dean_ is the science nerd. I was forced into science nerddom.”

“I don’t think picking up a hobby to impress your boyfriend is _forced_ but hey, every chick for herself.” Meg smirked at him, then jerked her head towards the spread. “That food’s for us, right?”

“Knock yourself out.”

“You want anything?”

Gabe shrugged and followed her. “Do people really call me a science nerd?”

“Oh yeah. All the time.” She rolled her eyes, grabbing a plate. “I definitely keep up with all the social medias. Hey James.”

James looked up from where he was hoarding strawberries. “Oh, hey Meg. How ya been?”

“Last few months have been bad, but things are clearing up now that jobs are opening back up.” She took a strawberry from his plate and stuck it between her teeth. “You?”

“Mostly been working on scripting stuff. Speaking of…” He turned to Gabriel, tried to meet his eyes, couldn’t, and shoveled more strawberries onto his plate anxiously. “Ma’am. You have to join the writing team.”

“Ha! No.”

“That scene was genius. We need more of them. Join. Us.”

Gabe motioned to Meg beside him. “Then ask her. She was as big a part of it as me.”

“I _have_ asked her! She won’t either!”

Meg winked. “It’s true. I don’t do writing. I do acting.”

“You’re an _author!”_

“Meh.”

Gabe raised an eyebrow at her. “You’re an author? Anything I would know?”

“I write under a pen name. Don’t worry about it.” She winked at him.

“Alright, alright. James, I’ve got a deal for you.”

James managed to meet Gabe’s eyes, squirming madly. “Go for it.”

“I will join your writing team.”

“What, real—“

“IF you address me by masculine pronouns.”

James made a very, very sad noise. “That’s not fair!”

Meg leaned back against the table, eyeing Gabriel slyly. “Sounds fair to me. So you’re — what? GNC?”

“I’m whatever you want babe,” Gabe responded smoothly, winking back.

“Whatever I want huh? Anything I wanna use?”

“Absolutely.”

“Alright, in that case: c’mon, James baby. Don’t leave xer waiting.”

Gabriel’s eyes shone bright and he high-fived Meg. “Ohhhh! That one’s new! Ten points to Slytherin!”

“Well thank you,” Meg drawled back. She leaned in and stage-whispered to James, “Take one for the team, buckaroo. You can do it.”

“It makes me uncomfy!” he hissed back.

Gabe waved his hand. “James likes to use feminine pronouns with me because that means he’s not gay.”

Meg clicked her tongue. “Hate to tell ya, man, but whether it’s a girl dick or a guy dick or a neutral dick, it’s still a dick.”

 _“Girl dick_ is a lot easier to mentally deal with. So.” James huffed and crossed his arms, looking down at his plate. “Gabriel. Will you join the writing team.”

“Ask her if I will.”

James groaned loudly and looked at Meg. “Meg, will _he_ join the writing team?”

“I dunno, will xe?”

Gabe laughed at the look on James’s face. “Yeah man. If you want me that badly. Both bodily and for the team, I mean.”

“Ignoring you. Like, forever.” James looked off to the side, pouting. “Oh, look. Your husband.”

“You think I’m gonna stop teasing you just because he’s around?” Gabe joked.

“That was my hope.” He scowled. “You two don’t have a jealous bone in your body, do you.”

Gabriel’s eyebrows lifted, and his eyes widened in joy as he suddenly understood James a bit better. “Jealous bones do first require _monogamous_ bones, you know.”

“That’s not true. Also, hello, Dean. Your wife is flirting with me.”

Dean tried to hide his amused smirk. “Well that’s not gonna do.” He wrapped one arm around James and pulled him close. “I got some catching up to do.” James was _absolutely_ frozen, so Dean addressed Meg instead. “If you’re keen on sticking around, Bryan approved a rewrite where Reno and Nevada didn’t kill you, just scared you, and you work for them now.”

James found his voice, eyes wide. “What?! Dude, that’s fantastic!”

“Obviously. I mean, _I’m_ fantastic, so.” Dean winked, and James laughed, tension easing out of his shoulders.

“Meg. Meg, you _have to._ We haven’t worked together in _ages.”_

Meg bit her lip in thought. “I mean, you’re right. I _have_ missed you, you crazy kid. But I’m not sure, narratively, if having the two killers spare someone the first time you see them really fits what you’re all trying to go for here.”

James and Dean deflated.

“BUT,” she continued, “I’m down if you need another writer.”

James gasped in offense. “You _just said—“_

“Eh, changed my mind. If this cool cat can do it, so can I.”

Gabe tilted his head. “Aw. You already gone on me?”

She shrugged. “Seems I’m in good company for it.” She ruffled his hair. “But I’m lesbian, so hit me up when you’re feeling girly.”

Dean put his hand on James’s head and rested his chin on it. “I leave you alone for five minutes and you’ve got the straight guy and the lesbian girl falling at your feet.”

Gabe shrugged. “What can I say? I’m charming. I mean, I got you, didn’t I?”

“That’s very true. I’ll go run you two by Bryan, then.” He paused. “But hey, Meg. If we decided to make you a _twin,_ by chance, would you—“

“I would _love. That.”_

He grinned wide at her. “Just what I was hoping. BRB.”

Meg watched him leave idly, picking up James’s plate. “You really could bounce a quarter off that ass, you know. Don’t suppose that one’s a girl, too?”

“Afraid not,” Gabe sighed.

“Damn shame.” She pointed. “I’m gonna go hit on that girl over there.”

“Abby? Watch out for Tabry, then. We think they’re a thing.”

“I will watch out for potential threesomes, thank you.” She grinned wide at him and backed away.

James frowned. “She stole my strawberries.”

“Tough luck. Hey, can I talk to you for a sec?”

James squinted. “I feel cornered.”

“Don’t. I just—“ Gabe rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “You’re like… _okay_ with me teasing you… right?”

“…come again?”

“Like. Teasing you about… being attracted to me. I know you’re not— well, I know you don’t _identify_ with any sort of MLM thing so I was just… checking.”

James stared at him wordlessly, and Gabriel sighed.

“Look man. I don’t care either way. But if you want me to stop fucking with you, you have to tell me _right now.”_

He mumbled something Gabe couldn’t hear.

Gabe groaned. “Dude. I get it’s hard for you. So just… if you don’t want me to stop teasing you, then don’t say—“

“It makes me feel included,” James rushed out, shoulders up defensively.

Gabe raised his eyebrows. “Yeah, okay, that’s kinda what I figured.” He clapped him on the shoulder. “In that case! I’m very much looking forward to the scene where we get to kiss, because I fully intend to destroy any sense of straightness you had!”

“Wh— _hey!_ You can’t just wreck a man’s life like that!”

“Hey, not _my_ fault you can’t remember the first time you kissed me.”

James threw out his hands. “What do you _mean_ the first time?!”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Okay— _no,_ I am _absolutely_ going to worry about it!”

“Well if you are _already_ worrying about it, you also kissed Dean.”

“No. No, no, _nope._ That didn’t happen. This is you fucking with me again.”

Gabriel sucked in air through his teeth in mock sympathy. “I guess you will literally never know, huh?”

“I hate you.”

“Ooo, didn’t you hear? It is _statistically_ impossible to hate me.”

“Good thing I always sucked at math, then.”

“Can I be math?”

“Hmm, let’s see. Difficult, impossible to figure out, a lot left to the imagination… yeah, sure. You can be math.”

Gabriel laughed, shaking his head. “Alright, you got me there.”

“Oh, did I _win_ a round of teasing with the magnificent Gabriel? Incredible. I _am_ going to need a trophy with my name on it. Like, today. Order me a trophy.”

“How about a t-shirt? It’ll say ‘I out-gayed Gabriel and all I got was this stupid shirt’.”

“I accept. I’ll wear it with all due reverence… which is to say, none at all.”

Gabe grinned. “You know, you and Cassie would get along great.”

“Yeah, I’ve been talking to them some around set. They’re very easy to get along with.”

“…they?”

James blinked. “Um. Yes? You… called them… they?”

“I don’t know why I would do that seeing as Cassie’s a he but alright?”

“What? No! I said ‘hey there’s your brother’ and you said ‘wonder what they’re doing here’ so I’m right!”

“Mm. Mm-hm. Just out of curiosity, was _Sam_ there, too?”

“I—“ James groaned. “Yes. Fuck. I’ve been calling Castiel they this whole time.”

“I don’t think he really cares,” Gabe assured him, laughing softly.

“Apparently not! He never corrected me!” James crossed his arms. “You know what? I’m done with pronouns. Everyone is just going to get referred to by their names from now on.”

“I mean, you just used one, but sure.”

James facepalmed. “Ugh. Fuck me.”

“Wow, you sure came to terms with your feelings for me really fast. Let me go run that by Dean and get back to you.”

James peeked between his fingers to glare at Gabriel before hiding his face again to laugh. “Do you just have a list of comebacks for every situation?”

“Yeah, it’s called ‘being funny’.”

“Whatever makes you feel better about yourself.” James winked at him and turned to look at the people milling about. “Don’t suppose we could talk Castiel into being on the show, too, could we?”

“Nah, he’s not much of a limelight person.”

“…That’s kind of hilarious.”

“How so?”

“He’s been in the background of basically every viral video that’s come out this past year. Every time you see him he’s with someone famous. I don’t think I need to _tell you_ how crazy the internet went when they saw him and Anthony together. It’s just sort of accepted now that he’s in the ‘circle’,” James finished with air quotes.

“You’re trying to tell me Cassie is famous in his own right and I don’t know how to feel about that.”

“Have you not seen the memes?”

Gabe looked _highly_ offended. _“What?!_ You’re telling me there are memes about _Cassie_ and no memes about me?!”

“Um. Well. None I can show you, no.” James pulled out his phone and began scrolling. “The current trend is photoshopping Castiel into the background of photos of famous people and events. Look, here’s him giving up his seat for Rosa Parks.”

“Wait that’s so wholesome.”

“Most of them are, yeah.”

“What kinds of memes do they make about me?”

James cleared his throat awkwardly. “Well.”

“Spill it.”

“Most of them are screenshots of you and Dean with the caption ‘my last two brain cells’.”

Gabe froze for a second before bursting out laughing, hand to his forehead. “Oh my _god!”_

“My current favorite is this one that says ‘get you a man who looks at you like this’ and it’s you laughing at your own joke and Dean looking like he regrets every single decision that led him to that moment.”

 _“Please_ send those to me.”

“Yeah see I would if I had your number.”

Gabriel calmed his giggles. “You got a sharpie?”

“Do I _look_ like I have a sharpie?” He waved his phone. “I’ve got one of these.”

“Not as cool.”

“Sorry, let me just grab my flip phone then...”

Gabe rolled his eyes. “Fine. Gimme.” He typed in his contact info. “How many eggplant emojis should I put?”

“None.”

“Four, got it.” He handed James’s phone back.

“Eggplant and water droplets. I’m deleting those.”

“No you’re not.”

“No, I’m not.”

———

Dean watched the two of them pester each other with a small smile on his face. He almost jumped out of his skin when Anthony shouldered him.

“How’s it going?” he asked.

Dean shrugged. “Really good, actually. I like acting more than I thought I would.”

“I did mean with Gabe, but alright.”

Dean laughed low. “Fantastic. I love him to pieces.”

“Yeah, I can tell. There’s something… really fitting about you two together. Then again, maybe I just really like enemies to lovers.”

Dean hung his head, shoulders shaking. “I’m sure.” He side-eyed Anthony. “How are you and Cas?”

Anthony shrugged. “He’s great. I enjoy his company.”

_“Anthony.”_

He pursed his lips. “That wasn’t a lie.”

“Don’t get yourself caught up in something that’s just gonna hurt you.”

Anthony sighed and nodded to himself. “I know.”

“I see those little looks you give him.”

He shook his head, frowning. “I know you do. The moment you saw him beside me, you stopped flirting with me entirely. Which makes me think Gabriel hasn’t noticed at all.” He paused. “Also, I’m with the understanding that you had a shrine dedicated to me? So that says a lot.”

“Hey we’re not talking about me and my hobbies right now, okay?” Dean sighed and looked to where Castiel was chatting excitedly with Arissa. “Moving on. Gabriel tends to only see things he wants to see. And anything that involves Castiel potentially leaving him, for lack of a better word… he doesn’t wanna see.”

“Probably for the best.”

“Probably.” Dean gazed at Anthony. “Look. I’m not gonna tell ya to pack up your Cas bags and send them on a one-way trip outta your heart. I’m just saying I’ve been neighbors with him for years, and romance just really ain’t up his alley.”

Anthony stuck his hands deep in his pockets. “I know that, too. I’ve been almost… _wrestling,_ I guess, with whether returned love is something I even have to have.”

Dean shrugged. “Maybe it’s not, man. Just try not to get too hung up on him. I don’t think he even knows you’re interested.”

“Ouch.”

“Sorry.”

“No, no. You’re right.” Anthony sighed and tried not to look at Castiel, at the way his eyes wrinkled when he smiled at whatever Arissa had said. “I think it’ll be easier when I don’t have to see him every day. He’s heading back home soon, right?”

“Should be.”

“Well, if I can manage to keep my sanity about me for that long, I think I’ll survive.”

“Mmm. Wanna know a secret?”

“Usually, yes.”

“When I first moved into my house, I had a major crush on Castiel.”

Anthony choked on air. “I’m sorry, _what?”_

“Yeah. For like, a week. Until I figured him out. Then it just became like… bear mode.”

“…do I need to make the joke here or—“

“Not _that_ kind of bear. Sheesh.” He crossed his arms. “I mean like… I wanted to protect him. From everything. He’s a little ray of sunshine and I want him to stay that way.”

“I… can understand that.”

“Yeah. So.” Dean clapped his shoulder. “What I’m getting at here is, if you hurt him, I can and will hunt you down. Cool?”

Anthony snorted. “Believe me, if I somehow hurt him, I will be hunting _myself_ down.”

“That’s what I like to hear.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Anytime.”

“What did it feel like to fall in love with Gabriel?”

Dean let out a breath. “Like… like all the air was knocked from my lungs, but I’d be fine with suffocating as long as it meant he could breathe fine.”

“Oh, wow.” Anthony put a hand to his own chest. “That hit me in the diaphragm.”

“Good. Do me a favor, don’t start saying whether you’re falling for Castiel until after he’s gone home. It’s hard to know for sure when you’ve got big eyes sparkling your way every day.”

Anthony nodded. “Okay. I won’t ask you not to tell Gabriel, since I know you won’t promise that, but… don’t bring it up unless he asks. I’ve seen how he exacts revenge. I don’t fancy being almost-arrested for a role I play on TV.”

“Believe me. Castiel is _way_ scarier than Gabriel. There have been moments where I _genuinely_ believed Castiel was going to murder me.”

“And what? Feed you to his bees?” Anthony teased.

“Yes! That’s exactly what he said he was going to do!”

Anthony laughed low. “Truly horrifying.”

“You’ll see. One of these days, you’ll see just how scary he is.”

“I’m sure.” He shook his head. “By the way. James and I had an interview soon, but _James_ has decided he doesn’t want to do this one. So. You want to instead?”

“…I’m gonna go with _no.”_

“Okay so you kind of _have_ to go with yes because we already said you would.”

“Wh— _dude!”_

“Sorry not sorry?” Anthony gave him a sheepish smile. “It’s a really short interview, night time television, Zoom, all that good stuff. We just really need a second body.”

“Let me rephrase: _hell_ no.”

“Please?”

“Nothing against you, but I don’t trust people to stick to questions about the _show,_ if you feel me.”

“The questions are pre-written. Nothing will be asked about your past, okay? Pinky promise.”

Dean groaned, then groaned louder. “Uuuuuugggghhhhh. Fine. Whatever. I’ll do your damn interview.” He rubbed his hands over his face. “Let me guess: the headlines already read ‘exclusive interview with Dean Winchester’.”

“Maybe.”

Dean jabbed his finger in his direction. “If anyone asks questions that _aren’t_ about the show, I _will_ dye your hair blue.”

“Would I look bad with blue hair?”

“Horrible.”

“Alright. But y’know, they might ask about EMCQ, or even just Gabriel.”

“I will accept those questions but they’re on thin fucking ice.”

“You still gonna keep pretending you’re not even remotely attracted to Gabe?” Anthony snarked.

“Of course. It’s how I have fun.”

“You’re very bad at it.”

“That’s what _makes it fun.”_ Dean smirked. “Besides, you’re just as bad at pretending you’re not attracted to Castiel.”

“I— point taken. When are you planning on telling everyone you two are married?”

“Eh. Maybe never. It’s not really their business anyway, is it?”

“You posted about it on Facebook.”

“Sure, but I also have Marlon Brando listed as my brother so really they shouldn’t believe everything I post.”

“Fair enough.” Anthony shrugged. “For what it’s worth, though… I think it would mean a lot to a lot of people if you just told them. Something about queer people in queer media.”

“I’ll think about it.” Dean checked his phone. “It’s about time to start the next scene, so I’ll go get my dose of Gabriel, you go get your dose of Cas, and I’ll meet you in character.”

“Mm. Don’t overdose.”

“Already have, baby. And right back atcha.”

Anthony watched Dean go to harass Gabriel, smiling, before looking back over to Castiel.

Castiel, all grins and sunshine, meeting his eyes with nothing but joy and trust.

“Damn me,” Anthony muttered before walking over to what was sure to be his timely, untimely death.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> early update bc why not!  
> Also: UH OH HERE COME THE CHICKENS 🐓🐓🐓  
> as always, notes at the end if you wanna skip
> 
> edit: may or may not have added some uhhhhh slightly nsfw art. but like. nsfw in the same way statues are nsfw. you know. you get it.

Gabriel looked across the barren landscape.

“Ah, great,” he murmured. “Hey! Wake the fuck up!” he yelled at the sky, to no avail.

“Gabriel!” a voice yelled out. Gabe didn’t even bother to turn around. “You’re late!”

He sighed. “You know, you can go ahead and just kill me. Get this whole thing over with.” He turned slightly, side-eyeing the man wearing his father’s face. It was always like this. “Affa.”

Affa looked at him, and oh, what Gabriel would have given to see anger there. Even now, there was only a sad sort of pity. “Gabriel, why do you insist upon treating us this way? What would your father have said?”

Gabriel laughed coldly. “Wow, well, I guess we will really just never know, will we? Thank you for that. I’m going to stand here until I wake up. Please see yourself out.”

“I can’t leave without you.”

“Well, you sure as hell aren’t leaving _with_ me so—“

“Sure as Hell?” Gabriel groaned as Affa took a step towards him, deep compassion in his eyes. “That’s a start, you know. Believing in Hell. Everything else can come later. We can focus on Hell.”

“It’s an _expression,”_ Gabriel hissed, taking a step away.

“Hell is for all the _others._ We’re trying to _save you,_ Gabriel.”

“Save someone else, alright? I’m good.”

Affa touched his elbow, and Gabriel pulled away like it burned him. “We cannot get into Heaven unless _every member_ of our flock is saved. You’re damning us, Gabriel.”

“You’re damning yourselves. Look, here’s a solution: kick me out of the damn flock.”

Affa touched his shoulder, and Gabriel shoved him away. “Giving up on you would be just as bad,” Affa whispered reverently.

“First off, stop touching me. I don’t know why I have to tell you this every fucking time. Second off, maybe I’m the anti-christ, huh? Then you’d be damning yourselves just by being around me. So. Fuck off.” He took more steps away, walking into the dead grass and the dry dirt.

Affa’s hand touched his waist, and Gabriel’s brain sent out about fifty different signals of _danger._ “You can’t leave us, Gabriel. You’re one of us.”

“Alright, you don’t get a warning.” Gabriel turned around and kneed him in the dick, then kicked his hunched form over. “I said, stop fucking touching me. Get out of my dreams. For good. You got it?”

He turned around, and there was that damn face again. Affa was tall, and cold, and his eyes always lied. But here, he looked like Chuck Shurley, with kindness and empathy and desperation hiding in his pupils. Affa grabbed his hands, and he could not pull away. “Let’s pray,” Affa said serenely.

Gabriel pulled and tugged and tried his best, but he was stuck. “Let go!”

“Dear brothers in Heaven—“

“LET _GO!”_

The grip tightened, tightened. It _hurt._ “Please help us rain punishment down unto this sinful man, let him feel the wrath of—“

Gabriel was suddenly free, falling on his ass and scrambling away.

There was silence.

He risked a glance up to see Nevada standing there instead, one eyebrow raised, machete in one hand. “You didn’t want him to stay alive, did you, Reno?”

Reno desperately shook his head _no._

“Oh, well good.” He wiped the blade off on his scrubs before it essentially vanished. “I would have killed him slower, but I felt time was rather of the essence.”

Reno swallowed harshly. “Th-thank you.”

“Of course, _Cara Mia._ I told you I would never let anything bad happen to you.” Nevada held out his hand, and Reno accepted it. When his feet hit solid ground, the field was flourishing.

Reno stared at the sunlight on Nevada’s freckles, and Nevada gently tucked a strand of golden hair behind Reno’s ear.

“You doubt yourself, my love. You are capable of handling these dreams on your own. However, know that you will never have to. As long as I am here, I will protect you.”

“It… doesn’t feel like I can handle them on my own.”

“I know. That is the doubt I was speaking of.” Nevada held Reno’s face in his palms, smiling softly and with such love that the shaking of Reno’s hands was stilled. “Listen to me now, and know this: you are stronger than all that you have been through. I know your mind desires proof, yet will refute any I give it. Understand that you have survived your past. It has withered away and died where you battled through it. It is not a living, pulsing thing. It is static. You poke and prod at it, expecting and dreading that it will come back to life. It will not. Every twitch of its rotten corpse is simply cadaveric spasms, and, one day, rigor mortis will set in, and it will twitch no more.”

Reno closed his eyes tightly, overcome. “I long for that day.”

“And my heart longs with you.” He kissed his forehead softly, and relief flooded through Reno’s body. “And my heart _be_ longs with you.”

Reno laughed softly, pressing into Nevada’s arms. “That was horrifically sappy, love.”

“Am I not to lap at the sacred tree that is my Reno?” Nevada’s eyes were teasing, and Reno found he could not look away.

“Lap at me, is it? I believe our conversation might have taken a turn there.”

“Oh, did it?” Nevada questioned innocently. “Well. I have never been one to deny my heart’s desires.”

“Your heart’s desires. Which would be to… lap at me?”

“Lap at you, yes.” Nevada licked playfully at Reno’s jaw. “Like this.”

Reno did not _giggle_ out of principle, but it was… close. “Is that all?”

“What? You want more?” He kissed up to his ear, whispering softly, “Good. You deserve the world, and I intend to give it to you. Lay down for me?”

Reno laid back in the soft, plush grass. It grew far above him on either side, and Nevada was smiling at him, haloed by the sun.

“Put your arms up for me, love.”

Reno laid his arms over his head loosely, taking a deep breath in. “What are we doing?”

“Patience, _Cara Mia._ I will be right back.” Nevada went somewhere out of sight, but Reno was not afraid. The sun was warm, the grass was soft, and he knew he was loved.

His eyes were drifting closed by the time Nevada returned, arms full of flowers. “Keep still, my love,” Nevada whispered, carefully outlining him, flower by flower.

Reno did not remember taking his clothes off, but he felt the tender touch of each petal as it was laid beside him. Velvet down his ribs, against his legs, between his thighs. He felt breath against his face and opened his eyes, half-lidded.

Nevada held a rose between his lips, looking at him like he was everything in the entire world. They kissed, a transfer of stem and leaf and thorn, but it was gentle, and the thorns were no more a threat than the petals were.

A last flower was pressed against his chest, over his heart. “My love,” Nevada whispered, “my heart. Keep still, and let me worship you.” He dragged the flower slowly down, velvet petals teasing Reno’s skin, kisses left in their wake.

A soft gasp parted around rose stem as Nevada’s lips met something more intense, more visceral. He was slow, steady, breath-taking, wonderful. The sounds leaving Reno’s lips were Nevada’s alone, and he memorized them, charted how to move, what to do to recreate each one.

“Nevada-aah!” Reno gasped, eyes opening.

It was dark, and Dean was looking at him, highly amused. “Nevada, huh?” he teased.

Gabriel looked around the dark trailer, face red, out of breath. “I uh. Was dreaming.”

“Yeah, couldn’t tell by the way you were dry-humping my hip.” Dean was struggling not to grin. _“Reno.”_

“You can shut your mouth.” Gabe ran a hand over his face. “Holy shit.”

“That good, huh? What was I doing?”

Gabriel’s chest was still heaving, and his dick was kind of— throbbing, which wasn’t very nice. “W-worshipping me.”

“That’s code for something, right? Was I sucking you off?”

“I mean _yes_ but like— I dunno.”

“Mmm. _Worshipping you.”_ Dean pulled Gabriel to him, biting gently at his neck. “I could do that. Unless you already got off with my hip bones, which is a very weird kink but I’ll allow it.”

“…softly?”

“Softly,” Dean repeated back. “Are you asking me to _softly_ suck you off?”

“…Yes?”

“You. Gabriel Shurley. Mr. Rougher-Harder-Faster. Want me to be _soft.”_

“Dean—“

Dean held up his hands. “No hey I get it, you’re in a vulnerable place and I should stop teasing you. Gimme a sec to get in the right headspace then.” He cleared his throat. “I’m feeling very sassy.”

“The sky is blue.”

Dean smirked, then stretched his arms. “Alright. You ready?”

Gabe closed his eyes. “I think so.”

“Good.” Dean held his face softly and traced his thumb over his bottom lip.

Gabe panicked, eyes flying open. “Wait changed my mind, rougher harder faster please.”

“Mmm, no,” Dean sang out, kissing his neck gently.

“Actually, how about we just let _me_ suck _you_ off, yeah that sounds good let’s do that.”

Dean pressed his fingertips to Gabe’s chest, easily but firmly holding him down. “Nope.” His tongue traced down chest and stomach. “You’re beautiful.”

Gabriel squirmed. “How about we just come back to this tomorrow? Or next week? Next month maybe?”

“You know, for someone who likes getting blow jobs, you sure do _hate_ getting blow jobs.”

“It is _one_ thing to make myself the center of attention, it is _another entirely_ to have someone else decide to focus on me. Also presents are weird. Also—“

“Relax,” Dean murmured against his hips. “I’ve got you.”

“I _know_ you’ve got me! I— ahh, ah,” he leaned his head back, eyes squeezed shut. “Fuck.”

Dean pulled off, biting back the _that’s the idea_ remark he wanted to make. “Let yourself enjoy this.”

“No, no absolutely not. I will maintain _mild_ enjoyment throughout.”

“I wanna hear those little noises again.”

“Tough tits.”

“That’s a challenge.” Dean hummed a few different pitches, concentrating.

“What the fuck are you doing.”

“Hm? Oh, if you sing a high pitch it bypasses your gag reflex.” Before Gabriel could so much as _process_ that statement, Dean had him deep-throated so thoroughly that he could feel his nose buried in coarse hair.

Gabriel, absolutely caught off guard, made a very loud, very sweet noise that he had _definitely_ never made before, and Dean popped up in surprised.

Gabriel’s chest heaved as they stared each other down. “I uh—“ Gabe tried to swallow but his mouth was dry.

“That was a very sexy sound,” Dean informed him. “I’m gonna hear it again.”

“W—“

Dean was down on him again, drawing that same noise out from somewhere deep within Gabriel’s psyche, somewhere soft and vulnerable and _absolutely_ turned-on.

 _“Dean,”_ Gabriel gasped, one hand lost in soft hair and the other grasping desperately at bedsheets.

Dean hummed a high pitch in response, dragging his tongue back up the length before sinking down again, a self-satisfied smirk on his face. His fingers traced words on Gabriel’s thighs, words like _loved_ and _worthy_ and _beautiful_ and _wonderful._

Gabriel’s hand was grasping at his hair, lungs gasping. “If— if you g-get tired it’s okay to—“

Dean rolled his eyes and went at him full-force, one hand pushing his thighs apart and the other massaging his balls.

“Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck— okay! I g-get the id-idea!”

Dean pulled off, replacing his mouth with his hand. “I don’t think you do.” His voice was raspy, wrecked. “I’m in love with you, and I want to watch you squirm, and I want to do that until my throat is sore and the sun is in the goddamn sky. I’m _enjoying this._ I need you to just _let. go.”_

“I don’t—“

“How about this. You count backwards from ten. Until you hit _one,_ you are not allowed to worry about what I’m feeling or how I’m doing or whether or not you’re ‘losing control’, alright?”

He swallowed harshly. “Alright.”

“Good. That’s a start.” Dean watched him. “Go ahead.”

“Ten—“

Gabriel didn’t even make it to nine.

Dean’s hands were incredible and his pacing was impeccable and his mouth was — _wow,_ alright? Even if Gabriel _could_ hold out until nine, it would not have come out in English. His throat was bared and his hips were lifted and his lips were parted and he was close _before_ this but Dean had drop-kicked him right over the edge without so much as an ‘ope, my bad’.

And he wasn’t worrying about what sounds he was making or where everything was going or _anything_ that wasn’t the wildfire of his nerve endings or the way Dean’s throat felt swallowing around him, which was, ah, _incredibly fucking hot._ He could feel the way one of Dean’s hands was tracing up and down his body, as if he was cataloguing every twitch of muscle, every shaking portion of him.

He was vaguely aware of Dean’s name dripping from his lips, even as Dean’s mouth slowed to a gentle tease, then trailed kisses all across his stomach and thighs.

There was a smile against his ribs as Dean said, “So… better than Nevada?”

“Mmph.”

“Hoped so.” Dean kissed languidly up his body, stopping to pay extra attention to the sensitive spots on Gabriel’s neck, just to hear the quiet, desperate noises that left his throat. “You know I love you, right?”

“Mmhm.”

“Like, really love you. Like, wanna spend forever by your side. Like, you’re the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen and I never wanna stop seeing you.”

Gabriel was trying to nuzzle sleepily against him, boneless and tired. “Mm.”

Dean kissed his cheek, then his nose, his hair, his ear, his eyelids. “I mean I love you. I _love_ you.”

Gabriel tried to respond, Dean was sure, but all that came out was a slightly louder exhale of breath.

“Gabriel Rosie Shurley,” Dean whispered, “I wanna marry you.”

The deep, even breathing of a sleeping Rosie did not deter Dean any. If anything, it emboldened him. He laid his head down to watch the soft features, hand tracing patterns across his chest.

“I think we should do it in the spring,” Dean breathed. “When everything is all blooming and green. You’d like that. And we’d pretend we didn’t care anything about it for anything other than tax reasons, but really we’d be thrilled. Sam and Jess would help. And Cas. They could do all the running around and stressing about cakes and venues and whatever else, but we’d just get married in the back of Missouri’s yard. Under that tree, so—“ his hand stilled a moment, then resumed its meandering, slower, “so our parents could be there, too. The good parts of them.”

Gabriel sleeping looked peaceful, serene… _holy._

“Hand-fasting, probably. That seems up your alley. I like it, too. It feels more purposeful, makes more sense, y’know?” His hand traced up to face, tracing softly so as not to wake him. “Why do you come so easy to me? I fought you, for so long, and it was like fighting a rising tide. Like fighting myself. And now I’m just swept along, and it’s easier, and it’s wonderful and scenic and I can’t remember why I ever fought in the first place.”

He placed another kiss to his shoulder.

“I wonder if you remember why. I wonder if you’re at where I am. I wonder if I said the word ‘marriage’ if you’d smile at me or panic. Or both.” He drew his thumb across parted lips. “I hope you’d smile.”

He watched Gabriel for a moment longer, before leaning in and kissing his lips softly.

“Goodnight, _cara mia._ Sweet dreams.”

And if Dean dreamt of carrying a flower-draped bride over the threshold, no one else needed to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gabriel has a nightmare but Nevada saves him in-dream and says this (which I am copy-pasting bc I am PROUD of it goddammit) :
> 
> _“You doubt yourself, my love. You are capable of handling these dreams on your own. However, know that you will never have to. As long as I am here, I will protect you.”_
> 
> _“It… doesn’t feel like I can handle them on my own.”_
> 
> _“I know. That is the doubt I was speaking of.” Nevada held Reno’s face in his palms, smiling softly and with such love that the shaking of Reno’s hands was stilled. “Listen to me now, and know this: you are stronger than all that you have been through. I know your mind desires proof, yet will refute any I give it. Understand that you have survived your past. It has withered away and died where you battled through it. It is not a living, pulsing thing. It is static. You poke and prod at it, expecting and dreading that it will come back to life. It will not. Every twitch of its rotten corpse is simply cadaveric spasms, and, one day, rigor mortis will set in, and it will twitch no more.”_
> 
> then they have the sex and Gabe wakes up and continues to have the sex (and is vulnerable! good for him! character growth!) and when he falls asleep Dean tells him he wants to marry him and just a bunch of other _mushy_ stuff


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went back to the last chapter and added a painting I did of Gabe in that uh flower field 👀🐓

Dean leaned back in his chair, blowing air out in boredom. They were running one of the (many) emotional scenes between Dr. Sexy and James. It was interesting at first, but now he could mockingly mouth every line for both of them.

_“You care about this hospital more than you care about_ **_any_ ** _relationship you’ve ever had!” James yelled, hands in fists, unconsciously backing away._

_Anthony’s face was anguished but firm, and he bit back, “When’s the last time a_ **_hospital_ ** _broke your heart?!”_

“Hello,” a voice breathed in his ear, and he jumped so hard he bit his cheek.

He turned around to see Castiel and Abby. “Jesus Christ you guys,” Dean breathed back, careful to be quiet. “What’s your deal?”

Castiel held up what looked to be a big bag of colored string. “We were making friendship bracelets and thought you might want to make one as well.”

Dean’s eyes cast over to Abby, with the side of her head shaved and her leather jacket and the spikes on her boots, and she huffed. “Don’t say a damn word,” she grumbled.

“Wasn’t gonna. You got any string that’s macaroni-colored?”

By the time Gabriel had meandered over to the small group, they were sitting cross-legged on the floor, all facing one another.

“Well. This is kinda cute.”

They shushed her and Dean pulled her down beside him. “Hey,” Dean whispered, “we’re making friendship bracelets but we have to be _really_ quiet, okay?”

“Ah, okay,” Gabriel whispered back. She looked at the finished bracelets piled in the middle. “How do you make them?”

“Okay so we have these little cardboard discs that have eight notches in them and—“ Dean demonstrated how to weave the strands. “You just do that until it’s as long as you want it to be.” He reached out and grabbed some of the bracelets from the middle. “I made these for you.”

Gabriel took them, one eyebrow raised. “Bi pride stuff. Thaaaaanks.”

“What? No, they’re—“ He frowned at the blue, purple, and pink bracelets. “Huh. I actually am an idiot for not noticing.”

“You literally have a tattoo.”

“I literally have a tattoo.” He scowled. “No they’re— like—“

Abby leaned in. “They’re pronoun bracelets.”

Dean snapped his fingers. “Yeah! That! So when you’re feelin’ girly, you can wear the pink one, and so on, whatever. I know you don’t care but…” He cleared his throat. “Yeah. Anyway.”

Gabriel looked at the little bracelets again, sitting in her palm, before sliding the pink and purple ones on. “Thanks.”

Dean beamed at her. “Anytime, baby.” He held up the half-finished yellow one. “This one’s for you, too.”

Cas shook his head. “I have already been informed that I do not get one.”

Dean nodded. “Correct, because you threw my phone outside and posted my ass online.”

“By accident!”

“That’s what I’d say, too.” Dean went back to weaving, but Gabriel could not take her eyes away.

“Excuse you,” Gabriel finally managed.

“Hmm?”

“I began dating you under the _impression_ that you were a chaotic force of wild nature and yet here you are, being really fucking sweet. I want a recount.”

“Oh, sorry.” Dean swiped the blue bracelet away. “Your man card has been revoked.”

“What?!”

“No more Gabriel. Only Rosies and Gabrosies.”

She squinted at the blue bracelet, then frowned. “No, give that one back I’m gonna swap out,” he said.

Dean laughed. “Are you gonna be a guy just to _spite_ me?”

“Yes! Gimme! That is mine!”

He slipped it onto his wrist, holding his arm far away. “Sorry but I’m using it right now.”

“No! Trade with me, you ass!”

“Nope I’m a boy.” He flexed his biceps and Gabriel _did not_ flush pink. “Oh ho ho, bodybuilding and testosterone.”

“What the fuck are you, Mrs. Claus’s wet dream? Give me the gender role.”

“I would, but I’m not sure you’re strong enough to carry it very far.”

Gabriel’s jaw dropped, and he was torn between laughing and growling. “I know when I’m being insulted but I also can acknowledge that was kind of funny.” He turned to Cas for help. “Cassie, he’s being an ass.”

Castiel pretended not to hear him, humming thoughtfully as he made his own bracelet.

Gabe groaned. “Abby! Help!”

Abby smirked and raised her hand, easily catching the blue bracelet without even looking. “Oh boy!” she said, slipping it on. “I can’t wait to mansplain something!” She eyed Gabe’s pink bracelet. “Oh, mansplaining is when—“

“Ohhh my god.” He scowled at his own wrist, then took the pink bracelet off. “There.”

Tabry plopped down beside Abby, looking around. “What are we doing?”

“Stealing from the horde of genders Gabriel keeps under their mattress.”

Tabry’s eyes lit up. “Oh! Yoink!” They grabbed the pink bracelet, putting it on. “Um. How is— god what do girls even talk like um— how’s my… bra?”

Abby was laughing silently, shoulders shaking. “I dunno but I can check for ya um—“ she squinted at her blue bracelet, “…sugartits?”

Tabry was forcefully silencing their own giggles by hiding their face in their hands, and their hands in their drawn-up knees.

Dean reached out and took both of their bracelets. “You know what, you two have _both_ lost gender privileges. Go sit in a corner and think about what you’ve done.”

Tabry gasped in mock-offense. “What, and let _you_ stockpile all the genders? Leave some for the rest of us!”

“Well Gabe has one and I think that’s plenty for the rest of the world. I’ll be Dean and— Deanna, I guess.”

Castiel finished off his bracelet, then attempted to steal Gabriel’s last, purple one.

Gabriel kicked lightly at him, falling back. “Hey!!! No!!! Mine!!!”

Dean easily grabbed the last one while Gabe was distracted. “And _now_ I have stockpiled all the genders. Or at least, all the ones I’ve got bracelets for.”

“A damn cryptid you are now,” Abby said, shaking her head.

“Too powerful for us to ever fathom,” Tabry agreed.

“If I marry you I inherit all the genders by proxy, right?” Gabe snarked, then froze.

But Abby just nodded sagely. “The-Being-Formerly-With-Some-Genders has a point there, O All-Powerful Gender-God. They have married you, and therefore get _half_ of all your genders.”

Dean sighed dramatically and held out his wrist. “Alright. You can choose _three._ But no more.”

Gabriel retrieved all the bracelets, sliding them all onto his arm. “Thanks o husband of mine.”

“I’m sorry, do you _see_ a blue bracelet on me? No? Then it’s House-Spouse to you.” He winked at Cas. “You can call me husband, though.”

“Not a chance.” Castiel tied a single piece of blue string around Dean’s wrist. “There. All’s in order.”

“Did you just _assume—“_

Castiel held up a hand. “Before you finish that joke, know it is overused and you are _far_ more creative than to just—“

“—that I didn’t make one for myself?” Dean finished, fishing out another blue bracelet from his back pocket.

Cas grimaced. “Oh, wonderful. Now I’m the ass. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Dean responded cheerfully.

Gabe shook his head, chuckling softly. _“”_

Dean sat up straight suddenly, practically throwing himself back to grab… _something_ out of his bag. “Say that one more time!”

“Um. _”_

Dean held up a worn out book triumphantly. “Okay awesome, give me a minute.”

Gabe watched him with adoring curiosity, taking in the little library sorting sticker on the side, the dog-eared pages from patrons past, the title—

Gabriel’s head sounded a lot like a record scratch.

“Um. Uh. Hey uh. What. What is that.”

Dean beamed at him. “An Enochian guide! When you said all that stuff to me in Enochian when you got _super high_ and made an Anthony nest, I ordered a guide! But it’s gonna take _forever_ to get here so I checked out the local library and _they_ didn’t have it but— anyway. University. Got it on loan from the university.”

Gabriel was suddenly pale. “UM.”

“I haven’t gotten time to really read through it yet, but I remember at least a _few_ phrases you said. Like. _Commah ga de’ol,_ right?”

_“UM.”_

“So yeah, found it when you were shooting some scenes and I wasn’t. Pretty cool, huh?” He was still beaming, oblivious. “I figured I could learn and then we could talk together and—“

“HERE I’LL JUST TAKE THAT!” Gabriel grabbed the book and scooted a few feet away. “This won’t work anyways because Enochian has _dialects_ and this isn’t even the right one so we might as well return it right now yeah let’s do that we’re literally not doing anything else so let’s go.”

Dean was still sitting with his hand held out. “But… there aren’t different dialects of Enochian. Like, that was one of the specific things I looked up.”

“Oh wow sorry did _you_ grow up speaking it? No? Don’t question me.” Gabe snapped the book closed and held it protectively in his lap.

Dean looked a little… trapped. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything bad by it. I just… thought it would be a nice gesture.”

And ah, fuck. Damn him.

Gabriel pointedly ignored the look Castiel was sending his way. “It is. It’s sweet.”

“But…?”

He tightened his hold on the book. “I mean, you don’t want your second language to be something so entirely _useless,_ y’know?”

“It uh, it wouldn’t be my second language.”

“…what? What else do you speak?”

Dean paused, cleared his throat, and clapped his hands. “Hey would you look at that everyone is on lunch so we should—“

“Don’t tell me it’s Klingon.”

He scowled. “It’s not _Klingon…_ that was my _fourth_ language. Thank you very much.”

 _“Four_ languages?!”

“Look, I speak a few, okay?” He held out his hand. “And I’d like that to be the next one so hand it over!”

“Yeah no way in hell.”

Dean groaned and flopped back. “How about this then: you teach me Enochian so I can’t figure out whatever you told me that you shouldn’t have told me.”

Gabe looked at the worn-out book. “Um. Yeah. I guess.”

Dean tilted his head up to look at Gabe. “How do you say _I love you?”_

Abby fake-gagged and Tabry shook their head. “Alright, we’re out before this gets too close to season four.”

Castiel gasped in offense. “Season four was one of the best seasons! It was so soft and romantic!”

Abby nodded. “Yep, that’s why it sucked. See ya.”

Dean was still staring up at Gabriel with innocent eyes as they walked away, and Gabe looked at him. “You’re being _ridiculously_ sweet. Did you get enough sleep last night?”

Dean put his hand out and touched Gabriel’s fingers, trying to thread them with his own. “Nah.”

“Mm, that explains it.” He allowed his hand to be held softly, reverently. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Well, my mouth was kinda full.”

Cas’s face immediately lost all emotion. “Wonderful. I, too, am going to leave.”

Dean waved at him absently, eyes never leaving Gabriel. “Haven’t really been getting enough sleep.”

Gabe’s free hand brushed through his hair. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. Just happens when Sam leaves.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

Dean shrugged slightly. “Dunno. Wear me out, maybe.”

“Right now?”

He laughed softly. “Not right now. Tonight, though.”

Gabe traced his face gently. _"”_

 _"”_ Dean repeated back.

“That means I love you.”

“Say it again?”

_"”_

_“”_

Gabriel laughed in shock. “Did you just Han Solo me?”

“Maybe.” He smirked. “I had time to learn a _little.”_

“After you learn Enochian, you could teach me one of your other languages. If you want.”

Dean canted his chin up to kiss Gabriel’s palm. “Yeah, okay. We can do that.”

“And then we can talk about Cassie right in front of him and he won’t know what we’re saying.”

“Oh you mean like you and Cas do to me?”

“Yeah, just like that!” Gabe leaned down and kissed his forehead. “Now c’mon. Let’s go get you some food.”


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> proofreading never heard of her

Castiel moved his metal car to a railroad, and Anthony’s shoulders shook as he tried to contain his laughter.

“I’m afraid you are now in debt to me. Again,” Anthony teased, to which Cas just scowled.

“Take the damn money. This game is rigged.”

Anthony reached over and counted out the correct amount of fake bills. “That is actually the point of this game, yes.” He rolled the dice and landed, inexplicably, on Free Parking.

Cas put his hands over the pile of colored bills in the center. “You can’t have this.”

“I landed on Free Parking! Those are the rules!”

“Actually that is a _house_ rule that just became so popular that it’s now common practice.”

“Alright, you know what? I’ll spare you this one time.”

“My hero,” Castiel deadpanned, picking up the dice. He rolled two ones and shrugged. “Lucky me.”

“Go again. Them’s the rules.”

“Yes, yes.” He moved his little car two spaces and rolled again. Two threes. “…oh no.”

Anthony covered his laugh. “One more time and you go to jail, Cassie.”

Cas groaned and moved his car six spaces. “Don’t be doubles don’t be doubles,” he whispered to the dice before throwing them. He covered his face and groaned before they had even fully settled onto the board. “You rigged this board _in particular._ That’s all there is to it.”

Anthony hissed sympathetically. “I’m afraid you do _not_ pass go and you do _not_ collect two hundred dollars.”

Castiel grumbled, crossing his arms haughtily. “I demand to speak to the manager.”

“I think the Parker Brothers aren’t available at the moment. Can I take a message?”

“Yes, actually. Ah, this game is horrid and foul and I demand emotional compensation.”

“Oh, _emotional_ compensation?” Anthony teased, moving Cas’s game piece to the jail space. “You want them to give you _emotions?”_

“Yes. I demand a single instance of romantic love, so I know what all the hype is about.”

Anthony laughed softly, smiling down at the stupid little metal car. “It’s really not that different from platonic love.”

“See, I find that _wildly_ hard to believe. I’ve seen a great deal fewer movies centered around platonic love than I have romantic.”

He waved his hand dismissively. “Sure, but movies get romantic love and lust all mixed in together. Romantic love is more like… Like, you know how, when you meet someone new, you’re a different version of yourself until you get to know them?”

Cas shook his head. “No.”

“I— Alright, I guess not. How about— You used to work at a library, yes? Your customer service voice. You _did_ have a customer service voice, didn’t you?”

Castiel shrugged.

“Geez. Okay.” He huffed. “How about, are there certain things you won’t do around certain people? Just to make them feel more comfortable?”

“Oh, yes. Absolutely.”

“There. Like that. You have some mildly different versions of yourself that you put on for others. So it can feel like no one really has the full view of you, like their idea of you just doesn’t… _fit_ quite right.” He looked at Castiel and fumbled his words, licked his lips absently. “But… But when someone is in love with you, they— You could be any of the versions of you and they’d still… they’d still say—“ he sighed softly— _“my Castiel.”_

Castiel studied him with his head tilted slightly, trying to stare deep into his soul. “I… still do not see what differs that from friendships.”

“That… is because you have very strong friendships. Love is— _Romantic_ love is just… a bit farther. If you’re in love and you’re not friends then it’s just— I mean, why? Romantic love is friends plus. It’s friends but you get to— you get the butterflies in your— and it’s—“ He ran a hand over his face. “This is harder than I thought.”

“You’re doing great,” Castiel said softly, with true encouragement in his voice. “I’m sorry I don’t get it.”

“You don’t have to apologize, Cassie. I just. I don’t know. What would you do if someone fell in love with you?”

Cas blinked in surprise. “Oh, I don’t know. I don’t see that as a true possibility.”

“What?”

“I mean, I don’t fool myself. I know I am at the very least lovable, but… I’m not very… _forever-_ able, I suppose.”

“Castiel,” Anthony said low, seriously, “if _forever_ was how much longer I had to spend with you, it would not be enough time.”

Castiel looked… taken aback, at the very least.

Anthony reached out, hesitated, then braced himself and placed a gentle hand on Castiel’s cheek. “Never doubt that you are worthy of far greater love than you have been shown in the past.”

Castiel stared at him, wide-eyed and almost… _trembling_ before he side-stepped it with a laugh and a rough wipe across his eyes. “You’re making me wish I weren’t leaving today.”

Anthony’s heart and hand dropped. “You’re… leaving _today?”_

“Yes, I have a flight booked. I have not told Gabriel yet as I fear the fallout but… early this afternoon.”

“…oh.”

Cas hid his face. “Don’t be upset. You did steal my phone number, after all.”

“I didn’t _steal_ it I—“ He laughed and shook his head. “I see your point. We’ll… keep in touch.”

“Yes. Knowing Gabriel, I’ll be back up here in a few days to sort out whatever trouble he’s gotten himself into, anyway.”

“Can we video chat?” Anthony blurted out nervously.

Something in Castiel’s eyes looked relieved. “I would like that.”

“And you’ll be back up for the gala?”

“The gala?”

“Every season we host a big gala. It’s obviously going to be much smaller this year, but we all get a plus one and I was going to ask but—“ He trailed off, but Castiel was not that merciful.

“But what? Who were you going to ask?” Cas asked innocently.

“Your brother’s brother,” Anthony deadpanned.

“Sam would be delighted.”

“You, Cassie. I was going to ask _you.”_

“Hmm, ask again closer to time. With roses, and a very large sign.”

“Would that please your heart, your highness?”

“We shall see,” Cas teased back, and they both laughed.

Anthony picked up the game pieces, since Castiel was obviously boycotting Monopoly. “Will you need a ride to the airport? I’m happy to oblige.”

“Oh, that would actually be wonderful. I was running escape scenarios in my head for what to do if Gabriel tried to sneak onto the plane with me.”

“Can I ask what the solution was?”

“I had a few alternate flight numbers to give him instead of my own.”

“Ah, so he’d wind up in Japan instead?”

“He’d enjoy Japan too much. I’d actually send him to Italy.” Cas made some vague gesture. “He hates the music.”

“Mm, my respect for him has dropped a degree.”

“Impressive you had any to begin with.” Castiel stretched and looked around the trailer. “If you are already driving me to the airport, I don’t suppose you’d drive me also to the hotel so I could grab my belongings?”

Anthony stood and held out his hand, which Castiel accepted. “Cassie, I would drive you to the moon if I were able.”

Castiel’s smile was the sunrise. “I don’t know what I would do on the moon, but I appreciate the sentiment.”

“I think I’d play Quidditch. It would seem far less lame in zero gravity.”

“…I think you’re onto something.”

———

“Gabriel.”

“No.”

_“Gabriel.”_

_“NO.”_

Castiel tried and failed to disentangle them. “You’re going to have to let me go eventually. I have a flight to catch.”

Gabriel held on even tighter, which should not have been possible. “That’s where you’re wrong. I can hold on forever.”

“You’re going to have to pee at some point.”

“Yeah, and you’re just gonna have to live with that.”

“I will forcibly remove you.”

“You can try.”

Castiel struggled and wiggled, but Gabriel was a goddamned spider monkey. “Dean, help.”

Dean held up his hands. “Hey, I’m not the one that didn’t give him enough time to process this.”

“All the time in the _world_ would not have been enough and you know it.”

“I’m still not placing myself between you two.”

Cas managed to get one hand under Gabriel’s chin and pushed him at least _somewhat_ away. “I did not purchase an extra carry-on so I’m afraid you’ll have to let! Go!”

“NO.”

Cas gave Anthony a pleading look, and he shook his head. “No way. I have to work with him for the next few months.”

Cas gave him an _even more pleading_ look, and he sighed.

“Gabriel,” Anthony said gently, grabbing him under the armpits and pulling. “You need to let go.”

“NO!”

“It’s okay. Castiel will be _okay.”_ He managed to get the top half of Gabriel unstuck. “He’s just going home for a while.”

“NO.”

“He can’t stay here forever.”

Gabriel was making grabby hands at Castiel. “He could! He could join the writing team! He writes fanfic so he already knows the characters really well!”

“I would like to go back to my bees,” Castiel said calmly, trying to free himself from Gabriel’s thighs.

“Whyyyyy?” Gabe whined.

“I like them,” Cas deadpanned, pushing at Gabe’s legs. “Gabriel.”

“Cassie.”

“This is gay.”

 _“We’re_ gay,” Gabriel pouted, struggling to reach Castiel again.

“Don’t say it like that, people are going to get _ideas.”_

“Let ‘em,” Gabe grumbled.

Anthony looked to Dean, who rolled his eyes and grabbed Gabriel around the waist. “You go around,” he grunted, and Anthony wrapped his arms around Castiel’s chest, both pulling.

_“NOOO!”_

“Gabriel!” Dean gritted out. “Let! Go!”

_“Cassie!”_

Dean swallowed his guilt and pulled, finally freeing the brothers. Gabriel was _immediately_ squirming, trying to escape.

“Cassie I need to change the terms of our deal I wanna go home I wanna go home with _you_ I—“

 _“Gabriel.”_ Castiel reached out to hold his face, then paused. “Promise me you won’t trap me again.”

“No.”

He huffed and held Gabriel’s face anyway, and Gabe immediately latched onto his arms. “I will be okay,” Castiel promised him, staring deep into his eyes. “And you will be okay. This is temporary, and necessary.”

“I could just marry you instead! We could get married and then we wouldn’t have to be apart and Dean wouldn’t care! Right Dean?!”

Dean made a face. “Ummmm—“

“See?! He doesn’t care!”

Cas sighed. “Ignoring all of the very obvious holes in that plan, I need to go home. I have a job. _You_ have a job.”

“I’ll quit!”

“You can’t quit. You have a contract.” He barreled on before Gabriel could interrupt. “Beyond that, you _like_ this job. You are _good_ at it. You are _enjoying yourself_ here. That is extremely important to me.”

“Cas,” Gabriel pleaded desperately.

“Let’s set up a communication schedule. Right now. We will call each other once a night, until we realize how absolutely boring our lives are, and then we will call each other as needed.”

Gabe held onto Castiel’s arms tighter. “You could never bore me, Cassie.”

“Then every night, indefinitely.”

“Twice a night!”

Castiel nodded calmly. “Twice a night.”

“And you’ll send me a selfie. Every day.”

“Twice a day if need be.”

“And text me! All the time!”

“Every time anything even remotely interesting happens at all.”

“Even the boring things!”

“I thought I could never be boring?” Cas teased lightly.

Gabriel’s hands left Cas’s arms to rest on his face. “Never.”

“I love you.”

“You know I love you, too, Cassie.”

Cas laughed softly and dropped his hands. “Alright. You get one free one.”

Gabriel’s sad eyes perked up a little. “A kiss?”

 _“One._ Lay it on me.”

Gabe pulled him in and kissed him hard, then kissed his forehead. “I love you. Call me the _moment_ you land. Or before you land.”

“That’s against the rules—“

“Don’t care. Send a carrier pigeon.” He hesitated, then kissed his forehead again. “And eat your vegetables. And don’t work yourself too hard. Make sure to supplement coffee with tea sometimes. Don’t stay up too late, but don’t forget to party sometimes. And—“

“Gabrosie,” Cas teased softly. “I know.”

“You know. Of course you know, you’re not stupid I’m just—“ Gabe sighed. “I’m nervous.”

“Don’t be. _Noan givi,”_ he whispered. “ _Be strong.”_

Gabriel sniffled softly before pulling away, scowling at himself. “Well go ahead, get a move on.” He pointed to Anthony. “I expect you to protect him with your life.”

Cas laughed. “It’s only to the airport. I’ll be fine.”

“Your _life,”_ Gabriel insisted, steadfastly ignoring Castiel.

Anthony nodded. “Of course. I would never let harm come to him.”

That seemed to relax Gabriel more than anything else had, and he let out a shaky breath. “Good. Fine. Leave before I figure out which plane you’re going home on.”

Cas held out one arm, and Dean stepped into a hug. “See ya around, man.”

Castiel kissed his cheek. “Take care of him.”

“I always do.”

Castiel pulled away, smiling softly, before linking his arm with Anthony’s. He waved goodbye at Gabriel, who was still sulking, and Dean, who had one arm around him.

Yeah. They’d be okay.

———

Anthony pulled out of the parking lot, glancing over at Cas. “You okay?”

Castiel wiped roughly at his eyes. “Um. I will be.”

He nodded, putting on his turn signal. “Kept a straight face for Gabriel, huh?”

“Did you see him? Of course I did.” He pulled his knees up to his chest. “If I had lost it, he would have carried me bridal style all the way back home.”

“I’m sorry. This has to be hard for you.”

“We haven’t been separated for as far back as I can remember. It’s just… new. And painful.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Tell me your worst joke?”

Anthony raised an eyebrow. “My worst joke, huh? Oh god, okay. Why don’t ants get sick?”

“I don’t know, why?”

“They have little anti-bodies.”

Castiel hid his face in his knees, laughing softly. “Oh, that was awful, thank you.”

“What do you call a cow with no legs?”

“It doesn’t matter, it won’t come?”

Anthony paused, then chuckled. “Okay so _no,_ the answer is ‘ground beef’ but yours is good too. Knock knock.”

Castiel sighed deeply. “Who’s there.”

“King Tut.”

“King Tut who?”

Anthony put on his best southern drawl. “King-tut-ky fried chicken, your order’s ready.”

Cas groaned, trying to hide his smile. “That joke should be illegal! Who gave you permission to be that lame?”

“Technically, you did. What is ET short for?”

“Extra-Terrestrial.”

“No, because he’s got short legs.”

Castiel grinned, then looked out the window. “Unlock the doors so I may jump out, please.”

“What, on the interstate?”

“Seems less painful a way to die.”

“You know, that’s what happens when a frog’s car dies. It needs a little _jump.”_

“Oh my god, they’re endless, aren’t they?”

“If that doesn’t work—“ Anthony giggled a little at himself, “he has to get it _toad.”_

Castiel actually laughed before he scowled at himself. “No, that wasn’t funny.”

Anthony chuckled and leaned over a bit, keeping his eyes on the road. “What do you call a fake noodle?” he stage-whispered.

“Do I even want to know?”

“An _impasta.”_

Cas pressed a hand to his own mouth, trying to stifle his laughter. “Okay I have to remember that one.”

“Why do seagulls fly over the sea?”

“It’s faster than swimming,” Cas deadpanned back.

“No, because if they flew over the bay, they’d be _bagels.”_

“No they wouldn’t!” Cas countered, smiling openly. “That’s ludicrous!”

“Well, if you feel that way, I guess I won’t share my vegetable joke.”

 _“Good,”_ Cas quipped back playfully.

“It was a little _corny.”_

“Oh my god.”

“Knock knock.”

“No!”

“Says.”

Cas shook his head. “Says who?”

“Says me, that’s who!”

“You’re banned from ever saying knock-knock jokes ever again.”

“Aw, that’s no fair!” Anthony shot a grin his way. “The inventor of the knock knock joke got a No-Bell prize!”

“How!!! How do you have one for every situation?!” Castiel’s shoulders were shaking with poorly-contained laughter.

Anthony smirked. “They make people laugh. I haven’t tried on Gabriel yet, though. It’s really hard to tell a joke to a kleptomaniac.”

“I wouldn’t say he’s a—“

“Because they always take things literally!”

Castiel couldn’t contain his laughter, practically bending in half with the force of it. “Th-that was ho-horrible!” he accused between giggles.

“Oh c’mon! I love telling Dad jokes!” Anthony cast a sly smirk his way. “Sometimes he even laughs!”

“Noo-oo-oo!” Cas laughed, leaning his head against the window. “Oh, these are crimes against humanity!”

“I’d say I’m a mountain! You know… _hill-areas.”_

“You are _not_ hilarious!” Castiel insisted, even as he laughed.

“I think you should be more grateful. You know, some of these jokes cost $1000.”

“Whatever the punchline is I don’t want to—“

“Because they’re _grand-dad jokes.”_

“Ohhhh my god. No. You be quiet for the rest of the ride,” Cas said fondly, turning the radio to full blast.

Anthony laughed and held one hand out, and Castiel took it graciously.

When they finally pulled into the parking space, Anthony turned the car to idle. “Well. Here we are.”

“Let me guess, you have a joke for here, too.”

“Nah. All my airplane jokes never land.”

Cas rolled his eyes, laughing. “There it is.”

Anthony tightened his hold on Castiel’s hand a moment before releasing it. “I uh. I guess I’ll— I’ll see you around, Cassie.” He held his hand out again, this time for a handshake.

Cas raised one amused eyebrow at it. “I understand how desperately you wish to not make me uncomfortable, but I _was_ intending on also giving you a kiss goodbye.”

Anthony swallowed harshly. “Oh.” His face was pink, his palms felt sweaty. “I— I didn’t wanna _assume—“_

“If you’re okay with it, that is.”

“Yes!” Anthony responded, much too quickly. He cleared his throat. “Yes. I am fine with that.”

Cas laughed softly, leaned forward, and kissed Anthony’s cheek. “Thank you for driving me, Annie.”

“Anytime, Cassie,” Anthony whispered back.

Cas had always thought the phrase ‘possessed him to do it’ was horribly idiotic. He had never, in his life, felt so compelled to do something that he simply _did it._ His life was one of careful planning and quiet contemplation.

At least, it was, until he pulled away slightly and caught Anthony’s eyes, and oh, the depths of them. There was something pulsing behind his ribs that, in a few seconds, would send him spiraling into a panic.

But, currently, the pulsing had him leaning forward and pressing a gentle kiss to the lips of one Anthony Douglas.

 _Possessed me,_ he thought idly, before reality crashed back into him with a force that made him reel back. “Um. I. Um.”

Anthony’s eyes were wide, lips parted, breath stilled.

And there was that pulsing still, something that said this friendship had inched slowly to the left, into territory Castiel had been certain up until a moment ago that he could and would never access.

He grabbed his mask from the dash, saw the aro flag, and dropped it like it had burned him, like he suddenly wasn’t _worthy_ of it anymore. “I um,” he stammered, finally grabbing a spare one of Anthony’s masks. “I. Thank you. I’ll. I’ve got to—“

Castiel had dashed out of the car before Anthony had even processed the kiss, had grabbed his bags and was almost out of sight when Anthony finally took another breath.

Anthony hadn’t blinked. Hadn’t moved. His brain was skipping tracks as he tried to get his bearings. He touched his lips gently, reverently, before his eyes caught that mask again, and he tried to squish down every feeling that was setting his brain on fire.


End file.
